"Peter!" Susan said sharply, making him pause. The room fell eerily silent.

"Susan, I'm not going to let you get hurt again," Peter growled, his eyes never leaving Caspian.

"Caspian isn't Rabadash," Edmund interjected, much to everyone's surprise.

Peter paused, and after a moment's thought, gestured for Edmund to elaborate.

"We will accomplish nothing by over compensating for our previous indiscretions in trust by overcompensating and completely distrust Prince Caspian. I fully agree we must proceed with caution, but Caspian has yet to give us reason to doubt his word," Edmund said.

"Neither did Rabadash until you and our sister were within his domain," Peter said accusingly. Edmund flinched slightly at the reminder, knowing that while Susan might not blame him, Peter had held him accountable and had yet to fully forgive him for that catastrophe. "What if all these pretty words were simply to draw us into Telmar as a trick? And then he will take our sister captive and lay ruin to Narnia."

"Peter!" Susan said sharply, reaching out and grabbing the front of Peter's vest to force him to face her. "Peter. I came up with this idea. Caspian never said a word of it. In fact, no one has even asked him if he is even interested in having me as his queen."

At those words, everyone silently watched Caspian who seemed to be a few steps behind the conversation. He finally said, "I..Um, I do not wish to cause problems with your family."

"Caspian," Susan said, pushing aside Peter's sword to stride over to Caspian. Peter almost protested, but even after losing his temper he was not foolish enough to cross his eldest sister. He sheathed the sword again so it was hanging at his side. "I'm sorry I put you on the spot so. It rather sprung into my head."

"I…you are not at fault," Caspian protested gallantly. "I see that perhaps seeking help here was a mistake. It is not fair to ask you to risk your own people when it is rather me who stands to selfishly gain the most from this endeavor."

"Then what will you do?" Lucy asked kindly, worried about the young prince she had some vague fond memories of once knowing.

"My uncle knows I escaped here. No doubt he will assume you have taken me in. I must return to Telmar or else I risk leading him here," Caspian vowed.

"But he will kill you," Mr. Tumnus fretted, stating the obvious.

"I will try to face him if I can," Caspian began.

"You haven't a chance," Peter sneered, although beneath the venom, Susan could detect an undertone of worry for a childhood friend.

"I may not have a chance, but I do not have a choice. Until I die, my uncle will see me as a threat. He thinks little of any innocents in his way. I cannot have their blood on my hands," Caspian vowed.

The Narnians had been watching Caspian in stunned silence. As he finished, all eyes moved to Peter to see what his next action may be. Slowly, Peter unsheathed his sword again, making Caspian flinch in anticipation. But Peter instead turned the sword so the hilt was facing Caspian. "If you are to fight at our side, you will need a Narnian sword."

"I…I do not understand," Caspian admitted, his heart still pounding in anticipation.

"If what you said was truly from your heart, then you will make a much better king than your uncle. Even if you are not a friend to Narnia," Peter began.

"But I am," Caspian interrupted.

Peter simply put up a hand for Caspian to stay quiet and continued, "Even if you are lying, having you in Telmar rather than your uncle will be to Narnia's benefit."

"Thank you, your Majesty. I swear, I will not let you down," Caspian vowed, bowing his head and accepting the sword. While it wasn't Rhindon, it was clearly meant for at the very least a highly ranked noble, more aptly suited for a royal.

"And as for the Gentle Queen?" Trumpkin growled. Next to him, Peridan folded his arms and glared in Caspian's direction.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Peter said cautiously to Susan.

"I will keep your recommendation in mind," Susan said succinctly.

"Which means she most certainly is going to marry him just to spite you, Pete," Edmund joked. Susan gave him a rueful smile. Caspian simply was confused by the comment.

"If…if we were to marry," Caspian said slowly, judging Peter's reaction. Even without a sword, there were several Narnians who would attack him the moment Peter commanded it, no matter what any of the other Pevensies may say. "It would be of no use until after the battle. The Telmarines who may side with me would see the wisdom of allying ourselves with Narnia in order to defeat Miraz. But after the battle…"

"Then many of them would be eager to betray Narnian unless given good reason," Susan concluded, saving Caspian the awkwardness of saying so himself. Caspian gave her a grateful smile before realizing that such an action could be quite easily misinterpreted. But he was instead rewarded with the tiniest of smiles from Susan, making his heart flutter.

"And Susan could be that reason," Edmund said flatly, barely veiling his displeasure at the thought.

"Either way, we ought to concentrate on our battle plans for now," Lucy said more practically, leaning over the maps of Telmar that the fauns had laid out before the meeting. But even the kind, trusting little queen couldn't help a twinge of suspicion.

"If Caspian's knowledge is sound, we have the advantage," Peter mused.

"They are so accustomed to us only defending that the first time we strike offensively we will have that further advantage," Lucy said.

"As long as Caspian doesn't betray us," Nikabrik said darkly.

"He won't get the chance," Peridan vowed, hand clenched in a fist.

"Why would I do that?" Caspian said in frustration. "I have everything to gain by allying myself with you and nothing to gain from betraying you."

"After what he pulled with Queen Susan, how can we trust his word?" Peridan said

"It was the fault of his parents, not his. I have made my peace with him," Susan said firmly.

"If my queen truly believes this man, then that is all the proof I need," Peridan said reluctantly but gallantly. Caspian hardly believed his words though as Peridan glare was still fixed upon him.

"Good," Susan said, choosing to believe Peridan. "And – "

"Sure he might be all loyal now, but what about when he is back in Telmar?" Nikabrik interrupted.

"Nikabrik! The queen was speaking!" Trufflehunter whispered loudly.

"Forgive me, your Majesty," Nikabrik said, although his voice was more of a sneer than apologetic. "But even if you are so good at telling where his loyalties lie, anything can chance them in Telmar. Some old friend, an advisor maybe. His uncle offering to abdicate for him. Anything! And we're going to trust that no matter what he will stay loyal?"

"Nikabrik!" Lucy scolded.

"I swear, I would never!" Caspian protested, noticing that Peter's hand flinched towards where his sword would be.

"Nikabrik brings up an interesting point," Susan said just loud enough to be heard. The room fell silent, wondering where she was going with this.

"He – He does?" Caspian said, hurt. He had hoped Susan's trust in him had been fully resorted, but it seemed time would be necessary to heal that particular wound.

"I do know you best and would be the most likely to realize if something changed. Therefore I should be there," Susan concluded.

"Susan, I'm not going to have you there in Telmar of all places!" Peter said. "Especially after…"

"He's right," Edmund added. "And having extra people along for the attack will only slow us down."

"Which is why I will not be simply an extra person," Susan said, a small growl entering her throat at the idea of her being there simply as extra baggage. After all, she was a queen in her own right. And it was time to make that clear to those who were doubting her ability. "I will be leading the attack."