I have not mentioned I do NOT own Chornicles of Narnia, have I? I only own this story but not the characters or anything else! Please don't sue? :P
From that point on, the young woman could feel all three pairs of eyes always glued on her, even when she was not actually looking. She could just feel them burning holes deep in the smooth skin of her back. But knowing they were more stares of pride and contentment than those of indiscreetness, she didn't really pay any attention on them. After all, her intrigue and interest were absorbed by the strange familiarity and the warm feeling of safety and home that place caused her, a place she did not and could not remember. She wasn't sure why the ruins made her heart race in sorrow and disappointment. Maybe the good badger was right and that Cair Paravel castle used to be her home. But why a place she couldn't remember caused her so many mixed emotions, such a grief?
"My Queen," Trufflehunter's gentle, careful voice knocked her abruptly out of her ponderings. "I wish to show you something I expect and also hope that will help you remember."
Nodding with a smile of acquiesce, she let the badger lead the way and lifting her covered in mud skirt, she followed him. Her bare feet –for she had decided to take of her sandals, not wanting them to be destroyed by the muddy soil- brushed softly against the wet, cool grass, its smoothness tickling her in a pleasant manner. But that was until she stepped lightly on a cold, slightly pointy object made of solid gold. She tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear as she lowered her gaze to look at the gold object. But not quite getting what it was, she picked it up and held it before her eyes, studying it closely. It looked to be a pawn for some sort of table game. It was a centaur, armed with his two great swords strapped on his waist. Even in miniature, he looked majestic.
Narrowing her clear blue eyes and licking her lips, she realized the miniature centaur rang some bells in her memory, and the hard efforts she was making to remember were almost causing her head to ache. But soon, random, various names invaded her mind making her a little dizzy and confused. Shifting her eyes on the small centaur in her hands, she noticed small but readable letters on the basement of the pawn that read 'Orieus'.
"To the death…"
She unconsciously brought a hand on her temple, her fingertips brushing softly against her milky skin. Those words were awfully familiar, she just knew she had heard them before and not just once or twice. Clatter of metals and battle sounds suddenly surprised her by filling her head but she could not actually see anything. She just listened to said battle sounds while these three words were spoken over and over again. It was so weird and illogical that it was driving her insane.
Something warm pressed ever so softly on her shoulder made her jump in startle, a low squeal of fright escaping her full lips. She drove a hand on her chest as she sighed in relief when her blue eyes met with Prince Caspian's chocolate ones.
"Your Majesty, forgive me, I did not mean to scare you." He hurried to apologise, the sweet concern and worry that were written all over his tanned, flawless face softening Susan's heart, brining up a smile of forgiveness and adoration on her lips. "But you seemed a little distracted and I wanted to make sure you were all right."
"Thank you for your concern, Prince. But I am fine, just, like you observed, a little distracted."
"Did you remember anything?" he narrowed his already dark eyes in an intrigued, hopeful manner. Susan was not sure who wanted her more to have her memories returned to her; the badger and the Prince or her? Either way, she found their hopeful eagerness and concern extremely sweet and generous.
On the one hand, the badger had a parental warmth of protectiveness about him, in his big, affectionate eyes, in his warm, caring voice. Something that was warming her heart with affection and tenderness, reminding her of someone like him, someone she probably missed a lot, despite her not remembering him.
On the other hand, the Prince's concern was what sparked her interest. She wasn't sure why he seemed so eager and hopeful that she remembers and why he was this kind and helpful to her. But there was just something different, strange in the way his shimmering, generous dark orbs were resting on her silhouette but it was making her…uncomfortable, awkward, as if he could see right through her, right into her.
"I…well, I am not sure. Just…never mind." She waved graciously a dismissive hand and smiled widely at him, in hopes that he would let it go. She wasn't sure whether he truly forgot about it or he just chose to please her but she was glad he shook his head positively with a knowing, small grin.
"Hey, pretty boy! We could use a little help over here!" Nikabrik's aggravated voice made them break the eye contact and made them actually aware they had been gazing intensely in one another's smiling eyes. Susan hid the small object in her bag as the pair stood before a large building which's one of the marbled, carved beautifully enormous walls looked to work as a door leading to a secret room. The Telmarine Prince pushed his dark cloak over his shoulders before attempting to push the wall aside. Much to the rest three's impression, he could move it but with great effort so Susan and the dwarf agreed to assist him.
Soon the massive, marble wall was almost entirely moved aside, revealing a small, wooden door covered in dust and some of its wooden boards were slightly cracked. Susan locked her fingers around the cold, once golden doorknob but no matter how hard she pushed or shook, the door remained unbreakably still.
"Nobody has been here for 1300 years, my Lady. It's pointless." TRufflehunter reminded her sympathetically, making her feel too stupid for not thinking of it herself. She had read the book, after all, recalling or not the place she had to recall what was in the book's pages, the book she had read the night before. She slowly withdrew her hand and as she did so, she senses under her fingertips delicate carvings on the flat part of the doorknob. With puzzlement, she took a better look only to see a small, artistic graving of a lion with rich golden mane.
"Aslan has always been a part of every Narnian's life." The badger hurried to inform respectfully." He was said to have held a very dear place in the hearts of our Kings and Queens of Old, especially the Valiant Queen's."
Susan brushed two milky white but slightly dirty fingers on the graving, a quite unreadable but tender look in her big, cerulean eyes. "Where is He now?" she requested, remembering the book's lack of mentioning anything more about Him after hers and her siblings' coronation day, just by being a not tame lion, He did as He pleased, coming and leaving anytime He wanted.
"Since after your leaving, He has not been heard from. He has even become only but a legend, a simple tale or bed time story…" the badger replied melancholically, lowering his wise gaze on the ground in sorrow and wistfulness.
"Trumpkin was right. Stop this nonsense!" his fellow black dwarf scolded him but not as irritated and annoyed as he usually was, but a look of sadness could be seen only for the briefest of moments in his dark, unfriendly eyes. Susan was about to request who this Trumpkin was that she and the Prince had heard so much about when Caspian walked among them and broke the door open.
Everyone immediately forgot what they had been thinking of and walked before the wide open door. Gazing in, they could see nothing but a marble flight of stairs covered in dust and small rocks before getting lost in the pitch black darkness. Which was a problem.
"I don't suppose… you have any matches, do you?" Susan suddenly said in a funny voice, a look in her eyes suggesting she was replaying a memory from the past in her head. But the familiarity in her words made her frown in confusion and perplexion. What puzzled her most was listening to another vice of a young man speaking the exact same words. And she knew it was not the Prince for her had an accented voice while the boy in her head sounded actually younger and his accent matched hers.
"Matches?" Caspian repeated, the unfamiliar, strange word sounding weird and difficult to speak in his mouth. His curious, wondering voice broke her out of her trance, his interest and eagerness to get a satisfying answer quite visible in his words. "What are those?"
"Uhh..nothing! Never mind." She practically spat, playing nervously with one of her brown hair's locks. "How are we to go down there if we can't see a thing?"
Trufflehunter suggested that go down first and check the place and that's exactly what he did. It wasn't more than seconds later when he called them to follow after him. first followed the dwarf, stepping carefully each step while his hand sought for support on the wall, and sharp curses left his lips each time he was about to slip. Then followed Caspian and then Susan. The Prince wished to guide her and to not let her fall down the stairs. Therefore he surprised her by snaking his palm in her small one and encouraging her with a faint smile to walk along with him. She did slipped a couple of times but his strong arm always saved her from a nasty collision with the perilous steps. She thanked her stars he was carefully and steadily stepping with no hurry on each step, otherwise she wasn't sure what her ending would have been.
Once they descended all of the stairs, they found themselves in the middle of a quite large room. Rays of sunshine were escaping through crevices of the destroyed rooftop, brightening up the interior of the room. The only things in the room were the large, half destroyed armours who had obviously decorative purposes, nd four large chests under the statues of two grown men and two grown women, all four looking quite noble and kind figures, wearing crowns on their heads. Susan needed not ask to know who they were.
With uncertain but steady steps, she brought herself before the second to the right chest. If that statue were her in the past, then she probably was indeed quite fair looking, but you can't judge somebody's beauty by their statue. She did not want to look at her face, a phrase replaying in her head 'what's past, is past'. Therefore, pursing her lips, she opened the trunk before her, an ivory quiver filled with arrows and a bow, looking almost identical to the Horn, was resting on top of a pile of beautiful, elegant dresses. She took it in her hands and examined it closely. How comforting it felt, as if a missing part of her was now complete.
Susan the Gentle the Archer Queen / Marksman Queen Susan / Finest Archer of the land / Disliked using her skills in tournaments and competitions because of her gentle nature / Rarely joined her brothers in the battle being the Gentle Queen however her great talent in the art of arrows / The Queen Susan's most beloved pastime occupation
According to Trufflhunter's book, she was more than an excellent archer, the finest in the land of Narnia and even across the world. Perhaps her skills were not forgotten. She would soon test them. But first she decided it was best to get rid of the dirty clothes that did not even belong to her.
"Are you certain we shouldn't have stayed a bit longer, Your Majesty?" the good-natured badger asked in uncertainty for the hundredth time, making Nikabrik roll his eyes but not speak a word. Susan, however, felt greatly touched by his constant concern over her and she smiled gently as she reassured him positively once again.
"Besides, the sooner we get to the Narnians the better." She added looking quite like an old, wise scholar. They had left the ruins of the once glorious castle an hour ago and were, now, heading deep in the woods once more, Trufflehunter and his dwarf friend leading the way like before.
"It suits you." Caspian complimented her after a moment of silence, not really looking at her but smiling nonetheless.
Susan's face broke in a coy smile as she looked down at herself. She was now wearing one of the dress that apparently she used to own. It was a lilac, quite simple dress with long sleeves. It quite suited her, complimenting her silhouette and setting off her silvery, sapphire eyes. "Thank you, I found it was rather unfit for a Queen, like you wish to call me, to be wearing a maid's dress. Not to mention it was itchy and uncomfortable while this one's quite pleasant and comfortable to wear."
Caspian licked his lips as a funny, amused wide grin broke on his face. He tried concealing it but it is rather a task masking such an empowering feeling and need such as laughter. "I was actually talking about your weapon." He confessed, running a nervous hand through his dark, unruly locks and he heard an embarrassed, awkward 'oh' escape her luscious lips. "Not that the dress does not fit you as well. You look quite…beautiful in it." He observed but somehow he felt like a moron and hurried to correct himself. "Not that you need a dress to look beautiful… I mean…oh, bother…"
She mumbled a 'thanks' with her eyes glued on the grassy ground but it was her turn to grin amused and she actually knew that she was blushing. What she did not understand was the reason. Perhaps it was because of the compliment. She would have given it more thought hadn't a couple of male voices been heard. Exchanging regards, the four his behind the tree's huge trunks, close to one another's and started taking careful glances at the speakers approaching them.
"'Take him to the river. Get rid of him!' Why's always us?" one of them complained loudly. Judging by their accented voices and their armour, they were Telmarine soldiers. Susan heard one of her Narnian companions whispering in surprise and worry the name 'Trumpkin'. So that red dwarf, gagged, tied up and thrown over the horse like a sack was the infamous Trumpkin. She heard someone whispering urgently her name and looking to her left, she saw Caspian signaling her to use her bow. She shook her head, thinking she was not ready yet. But Caspian's mouthed words changed her mind.
"Just put your trust on it, like I do mine on you."
Pursing her lips exasperated, she took out her weapon and placed an arrow on the bow's delicate but firm string. Wanting to be sure of her skills and to cause some uncertainty and panic to the two men, she aimed the tree just a few inches before the first Telmarine on whose horse the red dwarf was. Much to her surprise, she missed but just an inch. Gaining more confidence, she showed herself to the panicked troops while placing another red feathered arrow on the string.
"Let him go!" she ordered fiercely, making them put on a façade of shock and fear. The one carrying Trumpkin took out his crossbow and started loading it. Susan hesitated a bit. She couldn't just take a man's life. She was supposed to be the Gentle Queen, after all. But not wanting any of her friends getting hurt, she aimed and shot him on the thigh. Both the man and the dwarf fell rudely off the horse while the second one galloped away, the unmastered horse following his tracks.
Caspian unsheathed his sword and ran to the two fallen, followed by the two Narnians and Susan. The Prince placed his blade on the injured soldier's throat while Nikabrik freed his friend from his bonds with his dwarfish, sharp dagger.
"So you remembered saving me?" the red dwarf exclaimed annoyed once his gag was removed.
"A simple thank you would suffice!" Caspian scolded him, his jaw practically clenching in irritation. "And you'd better watch your tongue when addressing Her Majesty."
"What? Who?" the dwarf Trumpkin exclaimed confused as his eyes studied carefully Susan. His doubts were clear on his face but when his eyes fell on her weapon, his jaw practically dropped. "Crows and crockery! That's her? A Queen of Old? Where are the rest of them?"
"We don't know…not yet, hopefully…" Trufflehunter frowned in disappointment but the faint spark of hope in his black eyes of kindness did not escape the girl's attention. "But that is not the only problem…"
trumpkin looked puzzled and as if hiding his concern. "I ain't gonna like this, am I?"
"Will the rest of your race accept me?"
Nikabrik snorted ironically and rolled his eyes. "What makes you think that we have…?"
The Telmarine Prince frowned at being spoken to so rudely yet again by the black dwarf. He had discovered along the way that the badger was right about dwarfs; both Nikabrik and Trumpkin never stopped complaining and practically whining like babies, they were not exactly friendly with him, especially Nikabrik, who was also especially not encouraging and comforting, talking about Minotaurs not siding with him and of their horrible ways they would choose among to dispatch him but both dwarfs were rude even to the young Queen which made Caspian's grip tighten around his sword's hilt. The young man felt the need to protect the girl, he knew she wasn't as vulnerable and fragile as her memory loss made her seem sometimes. She had proven it, after all, at Trumpkin's rescue. Not to mention she had also proven her Gentle side by not actually killing the soldier but merely injuring him. He was truly impressed by her marksman talent and warrior skills but also her sweet, gentle character. Those sides of her were completely contradictory and yet so suitable for a Queen.
"Hush, Nikabrik." Susan scolded him in a low but firm voice. "There's no need to be rude. He has gone through so many difficulties already and he still is. Try to be more supportive, if you can't be friendly."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I am confident I'm used to his grumpiness and whining." Caspian informed her with a faint grin and a spark of gratitude in his eyes. After all, he was speaking the truth. After getting so many annoying comments and insults in a couple of days, he had just stopped even thinking of it. It was as if he either forgot them the moment he heard them or as if he was not listening to them at all. "You can say I'm immune to his insults."
Susan laughed heartily at his joke, tilting her head back only a little but enough so that Caspian could spot a faint but quite visible red trek on her jaw and a small cut but obviously deep enough to bleed. The injury did not seem to be fresh but it was dirty. Probably she had not noticed it was there. He shook the concern and surprise off his face, thinking it was better that he'd bring it up later, after they had found the Narnians. After all, she would surely dismiss it with a graceful wave of her milky hand and smile in a way that would make him forget all about it.
"Answering the Prince's question," Trufflehunter joined the discussion, if you could call it that, deciding it was better to change the subject. No one, not even the red dwarf, wished for Nikabrik to reply to Caspian and so a new battle of words would begin between the two. "the centaurs will probably fight on your side but there's no telling what the others will do. I am sure the fauns are easily convinced and the Minotaurs may be stubborn but if you know how to handle such a matter then there'll be no problem."
"Minotaurs?" Susan knitted her brows in question and puzzlement. "Weren't they on the White Witch's side? Like…the bad ones?"
"So were the dwarfs." The badger reminded her and shot a dirty look to Nikabrik's direction. But the black dwarf only frowned stubbornly and looked away, mumbling words nobody could hear. "But you know what they say, a common enemy unites even the oldest of foes."
"A common enemy?" the girl repeated looking amused at Caspian before pretending to be coughing and saying breathlessly "Ahem-hint-ahem-hint-ahem!"
"Shhh!" the Prince brought a finger to his lips, his deep, dark eyes shining playfully and cheekily. It was true, he and the Queen had met only the night before but the aura of cosiness and familiarity was always in the air and he felt so comfortable, even relaxed when she was around. The playful glances and words were inevitable for both of them. At least it was lightening the mood and was making more enjoyable and fun the journey through the woods and the wild fern, a journey that seemed endless and was extremely exhausting when under the scorching rays of the bright sun.
"Sorry for the intrusion but this is not the time for silly games." Trumpkin spoke indifferently after a long time. The couple pursed their lips to hide a smile and looked away. They were all surprised and perplexed as Trufflehunter stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes roving over the area and his pointy nose sniffing unstoppably, almost urgently. "Human" he announced after a moment.
"The kids?" Trumpkin guessed his hard, heavy voice almost hopeful. But a great noise of armour and weapons and accented, commanding voices made them all turn on their heels only to see a squad of ten, or twelve Telmarine troops spotting them and taking battle positions as they loaded their bolts on their crossbows and of course, the five companions were the targets, but especially Caspian. Their eyes widened before somebody screamed 'Run!' and they followed his advice. They all scattered, separated, the tall trees an advantage for them as they could run among them so to avoid the bolts flying at the speed of light, ready to pierce their flesh. The only trouble were the ferns and bushes that were making it hard to run as they were spread across most of the area. The dwarfs even tripped a couple of times and so did Trufflehunter. The Prince and Susan were luckier as their striding was wider and their tall legs were allowing them to run fast and swiftly.
A yelp of agony and pain made them all course to a stop and look back where the good badger was lying with a bolt dug in his side. Caspian ran instantly by his side and knelt. Susan screamed to him to take badger and leave but something was stopping him. Trufflehunter was passing him the Horn, saying its safety was more important and that he could sacrifice himself for it and the Queen. Caspian's mind was completely blank for a moment and his eyes went back and forth as he searched for a solution. Meanwhile the soldiers were gaining on them, their crossbows still firing. Not knowing what else to do so that he would save the badger, the Prince took the Horn and strapped it on his belt, glancing frightened and alarmed at the soldiers approaching them. He made a silent prayer when one of them was standing close enough so that his bolt would be utterly fatal when fired. But as if magically, the troop cried surprised and in pain before he fell flat on his back, his weapon flying in the air before landing a few inches away from its owner. Despite his intrigue and puzzlement, the Prince picked the badger up and gently threw him over his shoulder before starting to run again.
Once he reached the rest of his companions, he passed the badger to Susan who held him tenderly in her arms, pity and concern written in her blue eyes. "Take him, I'll fight them off." Caspian offered and despite Susan's protests, he unsheathed his great Telmarine sword and waited for the enemy to approach him. But all of the shoulders, one by one, were defeated by an unknown force until but one was standing on his feet, aiming his weapon on the ground, waiting for the secret enemy to appear but he was also taken by surprise and shared the same fate as his fellow troops did. Soon, Caspian found himself panting and his mouth went dry as the hidden under the dense fern and bushes foe was creeping his way towards him. His palm was practically sweaty as he held his sword high and he gulped almost soundly when the enemy was standing a feet or two away from him. He heard himself cry in surprise and he felt his sword slipping off his hand as the enemy jumped on his chest bringing him down. He heard a sword being unsheathed and a victorious exclaim before he snapped his eyes open. The first thing he saw was a tiny but quite sharp blade, the size of a toothpick. Behind the blade he saw zealous, satisfied small, dark orbs staring back at him.
He raised a perplexed brow. "You are a mouse!"
Tada! Sorry it took so long but I've been terribly busy! I don't even have time to update my VDT story which is my main priority! But I had this chapter written for a couple of days now and I wanted to update a story of mine!
I truly want to know what you think of the way Susan is remembering stuff, it's actually the most important thing in the story before she finally remembers everything. Then the most important will be searching for the reason all this is happening and what Aslan has in store for her! So please let me know what you think!
And as always, I do hope you enjoyed the Suspian parts :P I try to fit some scenes in the story but nothing too much!
So, before I start begging for reviews, I want to dedicate this chapter to Sofia, my best friend, because I had the greatest weekend! (L)
And here we go! PLEASE, please, please REVIEW! :D They really help me and comfort me!
Love to all of my readers around the world from Katherine!