A/N: I'd like to thank those who reviewed! You really made my day. I'd also like to clarify – in case anyone was wondering – that the CoN stands for Chronicles of Narnia. Yes, I am computer stupid and have trouble with line breaks, but I think this works too (I hope).

Chapter 2: Unexpected Surprises

Lucy sat stared out at the empty playground before her, gliding slowly back and forth in the swing. It had been three weeks since the accident that had taken her sister's life and if felt like she'd cried out every tear her body possessed. It was a hollow feeling, as if all her emotions had bled out and left a shell of a girl behind.

Somewhere in her mind she knew there was a purpose behind this, that everything happens for a reason and that Susan was in a better place, but she just couldn't bring herself to accept that quite yet. How could there ever be a reason for her beautiful sister – who had been full of life just weeks ago – to die. Her eyes burned as it tried to produce the tears that would no longer come and she gave up swinging all together.

"I thought I'd find you here," Peter exclaimed as he approached her.

"I just needed some time alone."

"I know what you mean. It doesn't make any sense. But aren't you the one who always said we shouldn't question Aslan," Peter asked, the hint of a smile in his voice.

"No, we shouldn't. But he's not here. I've called him and called him and he's not here," she explained, her voice breaking.

"Yes he is. He's always here, Lu."

"Then why didn't he save her?"

"Do you really believe he turned his back on her?"

Lucy thought about his question, bringing Aslan's magnificent face to her mind, with the loving eyes of a father, and knew she didn't.

"No, of course not. It… it just hurts."

"I know."

Peter dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around her as she burrowed into his shoulder. In all honesty, he'd been trying to convince his self of the same thing since he'd gotten that life-altering phone call. It had been hard on all of them. If there was ever a time to escape to Narnia, now was it.

And just like that, the ground beneath them started to shake.

"What's going on," Lucy asked, her eyes widening.

"I'm not sure."

Without a second thought, Peter took her in his arms and rushed for the ditch on the other side of the playground, covering Lucy's body with his own. The shaking intensified until Peter could feel the vibration in his bones. His eyes were clamped shut and he prayed for protection. And the sound… It was so loud that he could barely hear Lucy's screams.

And then it was over.

Peter raised his head just enough to make sure Lucy was okay, checking her face and arms for scratches.

"Are you okay," he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I've never felt an earthquake before."

"Me neither. We better get home and make sure the others are alright."

He helped Lucy up, turning back towards the playground, only to realize that it was gone!

"What the…," he began, staring into the trees surrounding them. How had they gone from a playground just outside the city to the middle of a forest?

"You don't think…," Lucy started to ask, a faint light coming back into her eyes.

"No, we can't be. Aslan said I'd never return."

A smile came to Lucy's face then, the first one since the accident, and a mischievous look came into her eyes.

"Actually, I made a small request the last time I was here. I asked Aslan if we could return just for Caspian's wedding."

"You… what?"

Lucy gazed around the woods with new eyes and reached out to touch one of the nearby trees, which gave a flutter of its branches in response.

"Peter, Lucy," Edmund called, strolling up through the trees with Eustace by his side. "How did this happen?"

CoN

The night sky was beautiful and Susan couldn't help but gaze up at it as if she'd never seen the stars before. They'd been on the road for two days and she was told they'd be at King Caspian's castle at Cair Paravel by supper tomorrow. She was certain that he was the key to unlocking the past she could no longer remember and it filled her stomach with butterflies.

Every second since she'd awoken had been a dream. She'd had the chance to tour Archenland and was amazed by its beauty. It all felt like the most perfect dream.

But there was only one problem with dreams… eventually you have to wake up. On the one hand, she was content to never remember her past and simply spend all her days in Archenland with King Gavin. But she just couldn't stifle the nagging sensation that told her she had a family out there and a life she was missing. That thought both terrified and excited her.

Just then, a chill ran through her and she refocused her attention on the sky. She could have sworn that just a moment ago it had been clear, but now thick clouds covered every star and the temperature was dropping by the second. Far off in the distance, a loud peal of thunder rang through the land, causing Susan to shiver.

"Lady Susan, you should come inside the tent," Anmarie suggested.

Susan did as she was told, but something about this sudden storm seemed strange to her. Of course, she couldn't remember ever seeing a storm in her life, but she could almost feel the evil radiating out of the sky.

"Is it normal for storms to come on this quickly," she asked once in the safety of the tent.

"No, my lady. It is very strange weather. Very strange indeed."

Anmarie seemed to stare at the sky with the same curiosity, and Susan couldn't help but feel that something was coming… something bad.

CoN

Caspian stood at his window, staring out into the coming storm. The very sight of it had his skin crawling. It was just so abnormal; the way it came on so fast and even the thunder had an eerie ring. But more troubling was the current decision he was making.

Marriage.

In truth, he had no idea what he was doing. He'd given his heart away three and a half years ago, so why was he marrying another? Of, course his kingdom must have an heir, and Lilliandil was the only woman so far to cause even an inkling of feeling to rise within him since Queen Susan's departure.

Susan.

Once her name fills his mind, the longing to see her almost consumes him. But knowing her, even for the short time he did, had made him strong. Lucy and Edmund had said she seemed happy and well when they last visited, so maybe it was time for him to try and move on too.

But for now, he simply allowed his imagination to run wild with thoughts of the gentle queen until a knock at his door interrupted his musings.

"Come in," he allowed.

"Your Majesty, we found… guests in the woods," Trumpkin explained, a giddiness in his voice that wasn't usually present.

"Guests?"

"Yes, your Majesty. I think it would be best if you came to the gate and greeted them yourself."

Hesitantly, Caspian followed Trumpkin through his castle to the grand room inside the gate. And there, slightly wet from the storm, stood four people he thought he would never see again.

"Peter, Lucy, Ed, and Eustace… how did you pull this off," he called, running to throw his arms around them.

"Lucy called in a favor," Peter explained. "And I must say, you've certainly grown up since the last time I saw you."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

The two kings shared a humorous smile, but deep down, Caspian had a burning question he was dying to ask.

"Um… is," he began, but Peter cut him off.

"I know what you're going to ask, but there's something I have to tell you first. Can we speak privately?"

"Peter, we should all be there," Lucy complained as a heartbroken look came into her eyes. Peter was about to answer when Edmund stepped in, wrapping his younger sister in his arms and nodding to Peter.

Caspian led him to the throne room, which was abandoned at this hour of the night and attempted to wait patiently for Peter to begin.

"I know you're wondering about Susan," Peter started, but seemed to have trouble finishing.

"Peter… if she's moved on… that's okay. I want her to be happy."

"That's not exactly it. She's… she's dead."

At first, Caspian couldn't understand a word Peter had just said. The words just didn't make sense in the same sentence. He must have heard wrong!

But then… the tears slipped from Peter's eyes.

"No…," Caspian mumbled, before collapsing in the closest chair. His muscles began trembling uncontrollably and he didn't realize he was sobbing until the wetness began saturating his tunic.

"What… how?"

"It was an accident." That was the only explanation Peter gave and Caspian found he couldn't even find the strength to ask a question. He hadn't seen her in three and a half years, but just knowing that she was alive and well somewhere out there had gave him peace.

But a world where she didn't exist… How could there be any peace?

"Caspian, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this now. I just didn't want to lie to you. Are you alright?"

Silence. Caspian no longer heard the words that left the High King's mouth. He was too lost in his own head. It wasn't until he was back in his room, with no recollection of how he'd gotten there, that he started to wake from his stupor, only to be hit with a depression so hard he was left in agonizing pain.

CoN

"Don't be nervous. Everyone will love you," Anmarie promised as they set out once again for King Caspian's castle the next morning. The storm had raged most the night, leaving the ground wet and slippery as the men packed up camp.

"It's not that. I...," Susan paused, gazing over her shoulders self-consciously before continuing. "It it possible that I came from Narnia instead of Archenland?"

"Oh, I don't know. That's a long way to wander off. But, I guess it is possible. Why?"

"Well, when King Gavin mentioned King Caspian's name, it just seemed so familiar. I think I might know him."

"Really? That's wonderful," Anmarie exclaimed.

"How?"

"This is the first thing you've remembered from your life. It's a start."

Susan contemplated this for a moment and then a pleasant smile overtook her face. At least she was finally getting somewhere, and maybe once she was in Narnia, more things would trigger her memory.

And then, a chill ran through the camp. The clouds had never fully dissipated from the night before and now they seemed to grow darker by the second.

"I think we should move on, your Majesty," one of the guards informed King Gavin, who agreed and motioned for everyone to mount their horses.

"It is a bad omen, the weather," Anmarie muttered darkly as she and Susan set off.

"Bad omen? What do you mean," Susan asked curiously.

"It's too strange. Nothing good will come from this."

Susan wanted to ask more, but the entire assembly was moving faster now in an effort to outrun the storm. They were only a few hours from Cair Paravel now and no one wanted to be stuck outside when this hit.

The rest of the journey was extremely rigorous, but worth it in the end as they made it just in time. Stable hands guided their horses away for food and drink and King Caspian's men were waiting to greet King Gavin and escort the party inside out of the weather.

"The king is very pleased you could make it," someone spoke, but Susan couldn't find the voice's owner. "He has your rooms prepared and once you and your men have recovered from your ride, he's arranged a banquet in your honor."

Susan continued to search and finally spotted the strangest sight she'd seen so far… a badger standing on its hind legs and carrying on a conversation with King Gavin. She hadn't realized her mouth was hanging open until Anmarie giggled softly by her side.

"Sorry, I probably should have warned you about that. Narnia is truly a magical land," she explained. Susan just focused on closing her gaping mouth.

The room she was led to was certainly luxurious and the bath was perfect. The castle walls were so thick that she could barely hear the thunder that boomed outside. But after an hour, she became restless and desired nothing more than to take a look around this fortress. It was just as breathtaking on the inside as it was on the outside. Not to mention she hoped that something here would strike a memory of her forgotten life.

She strolled down the halls, not paying very much attention to direction, just admiring the architecture, when she came upon a lone figure in a dead end corridor. He was staring dejectedly out the window into the sheeting rain and his posture seemed hunched over, as if all the weight in the world was resting on his shoulders.

At first, she tried to simply back away without disturbing him, but her shoe made an embarrassing squeak, giving her away. The man straightened instantly and turned to face her, revealing a sight that took her breath away…

…the brown eyes from her dream!

Neither spoke, and he stared at her as if he'd just seen a ghost. Finally, he uttered a single word in awed disbelief.

"Susan?"

A/N: Finally, Caspian and Susan meet again! Look for more moments between the two in the next chapter, and please let me know what you think!