-1The return of the lady of the sun

Standard disclaimer: I am not C.S Lewis, I don't own anything except my invented characters and am not receiving a single cent for writing this.

Authors note: Merry Christmas to all of you for reading this and giving me such good reviews, at the moment I'm planning on one or two more chapters and an epilogue. Once I'm done with this story I am planning on working on a Harry Potter fanfic that will probably be so much better now I've learned as much as I have about good writing from doing this one. So if anyone's a Harry Potter fan look out for it in the near future. I might write another Narnia fanfic in the future if I can get the right inspiration from something, perhaps the next movie whenever they release it. In case your wondering, yes you and Edmund are right in your curiosity about Susan's illness from the end of the last chapter, the title of this one is a dead giveaway to that. I know I didn't give any warning about my trick with Esther in this chapter, but I couldn't resist, as the date I put in this chapter for her birthday actually matches mine, I don't know the Pevensies birthdays So I'll make them up when I need to, Peter's matches my own eldest brother who by coincidence actually has the same name.

I'm sorry this chapter is short, but it was the hardest yet to write. The next chapter should be a bit longer as I switch to Lucy's point of view primarily.

Chapter 9: Seeds of the future

The physician, a Telmarine woman, came over to the palace later that afternoon to examine High Queen Susan. Everyone was busy in the palace library working on the plans for layout of the new city with the exception of King Peter and Queen Verity who had set off for Aphrodite's bay a few hours ago. Susan came into the room and called for Caspian who had his head bent over some plans for the central business district. He looked up and quickly joined his wife, who he noticed had a certain radiance about her. Susan led him into an empty room next door to the library, pulling him to her she quickly said, "the physician has finished with me and I'm not ill."

Caspian smiled at her and replied, "well that's a relief, Trufflehunter's herbs must have cured you of whatever it was this morning."

Susan put a finger to his lips to silence him while she spoke, "while I am not ill, I have some wonderful news. I'm a month pregnant, you're going to be a father Caspian!"

Caspian felt the world shift, as his ears rewrote his wife's words across his brain in white hot fire. His eyes widened in shock and he pulled Susan even closer as he gushed, "that's wonderful dear! A child, our future, and the future of the kingdom. We must tell the others, your brother and Queen Verity can wait. If we send word now they'll come straight back, they ought to enjoy their honeymoon just as we did."

Susan replied, "your right, they deserve their holiday, after all they've been through, it will do them well, knowing Peter, this little one will have a cousin to play with fairly soon after he or she is born."

Caspian laughed and moved one hand from Susan's back to her stomach, thinking of what to say he decided on, "well that will help, our child will have company his or her own age, and they can keep an eye on each other as they grow up. Also it'll be good as you and Queen Verity will be able to help each other prepare for the birth."

Susan kissed him and replied, "yes, that will be helpful, now come on. Let's go tell the others, we can write a statement to the town criers while we're telling them."

Caspian took her hand and led her to the library. The others were still scribbling away at their maps, drawing in locations for various things. They heard Lucy say, "should we put a school there? It's a bit far from the residential district for that island. Why not move it closer and put something else on that plot, maybe a barracks?"

So she made a few marks on the page and kept looking at the latest plans.

Caspian cleared his throat to draw attention to himself and Susan and the others put their writing material down and looked up. Susan began speaking, "we have some good news."

Everyone drew a breath as they realised what was about to be said, sure enough Caspian continued, "Susan and I are expecting our first child in March next year."

Everyone let out a cry of joy and converged on them, Edmund walked over to Susan and said, "Congratulations Su, we knew this would happen sooner or later, you two will be great parents. Any kid of yours would be a dangerous opponent in a fight, with your skill at archery and Caspian's with a sword."

He hugged his elder sister tightly and she said, " I hope he or she won't solve everything by fighting, but thanks Ed."

Edmund released her and Lucy came over, throwing her arms around Susan she gushed, "Congratulations, I didn't think I'd be getting a niece so soon Susan."

They all laughed and Edmund said, "niece or nephew Lu, we won't know until it's born and as long as it's healthy does it really matter?"

They all shook their heads and Susan said, "he's right Lucy, and besides, there's four of us and two of us are married already, at least one of us ought to have a daughter as one of our children."

They laughed again and Lucy released her sister to Esther, who hurried over and congratulated Susan as well. They all worked on a proclamation for the town criers who began to pass the word to the kingdom.

Over the next few weeks, letters of congratulations were coming in from the various foreign royal houses and the Lords of the council, a lot of them sent gifts for the baby as well, even Aslan had shown up to offer his congratulations. The planning work on New Venice was going well and construction teams from all over the kingdom were beginning to work at constructing the new capital city following a ceremonial turning of the first sod by Caspian and Susan.

Susan began to suffer the full effects of morning sickness but Trufflehunter's herbs helped her to cope with it so she could carry on her royal duties. Peter and Verity arrived back a month later, sun tanned and feeling very refreshed and ready to help with the planning. They were overjoyed to hear the news of Susan's pregnancy and agreed with Caspian completely when he told them why they hadn't sent word. Susan's prediction proved correct when one morning a few weeks later Verity felt ill and summoned the physician finding out that she was pregnant as well and due a little over a month after Susan.

New Venice grew by the day as more and more buildings, roads and bridges sprung up bringing in the first residents and workers. What were once bare islands quickly became a beautiful city with both Narnians and Telmarines making up it's population.

One of the youngest council Lords, The son of the late lord Anvard took up the post of mayor moving himself and his family into the new city to the delight of the locals.

Both the elder Queens began to show the signs of pregnancy over the next few months much to the joy of their respective husbands. Peter remarked on how happy it made him feel that he was going to become first an Uncle and then a dad in the space of a month. One afternoon in mid December he was sitting in a drawing room with Verity together working on more city plans, she turned to him and said, "why didn't you tell anyone about this land after the first time you left it? It really has been the makings of you."

Peter thought for a second and then said, "no one would have believed us, except Professor Kirke, the only physical evidence any of us had were a few battle scars."

Verity thought for a moment and said, "yes, but the change it inspired in the four of you was enormous, anyone who knew you before then, especially your parents must have seen it."

Peter moved closer to his wife and placed his hand on her stomach, where a small bump was beginning to show and replied, "well yes, but they'd say it was just the effect of the war and growing up, but still, we're here, and now we'll be parents, as well as Aunt and Uncle."

She laughed, placed her own hand on top of Peter's and said.

"It feels even better on the inside. I love you Peter, I'm glad I came here, it's a shame our child will never see his or her grandparents, but at least he or she will have lots of Cousins as well as Aunts and Uncles."

Peter squeezed Verity's hand and said, "I love you too dear, we don't know that our kids won't see England, Aslan said we couldn't go back, but he never said our kids couldn't visit. Maybe we could ask him to let them visit their grandparents occasionally once they've grown up a little."

Verity then replied, "That might be dangerous with the time flow difference, but that could work, they couldn't stay too long though or once they got back they might find themselves as orphans."

Peter nodded and they finished their plans and went off for dinner, the snow beginning to fall outside as Christmas was coming close.

Christmas day dawned and the Kings and Queens awoke to a white Christmas, Cair Pavarel and it's grounds were blanketed in snow, Peter got up and went down into the great hall where a spectacular Christmas tree had been set up. He found the others all waiting for him sitting around it with the exception of Edmund and Esther, Turning to Susan he asked, "where's Ed, Susan?"

Susan smiled softly and replied, "Esther caught him under the bunch of mistletoe you stuck up yesterday, I'm guessing he's told her what it means and I suppose their still out there."

Peter grinned and said, "who would have thought it? Give them five minutes and I'll go get them."

However Edmund came in leading Esther by the hand, pulled chairs for them both and said, "no need Peter we're here, merry Christmas."

Peter replied, "merry Christmas you two, now you've finished with the mistletoe we can start with the gifts."

Everyone began sorting through the gifts under the tree and began handing them around, they spent a fun morning exchanging presents, Peter and Verity as well as Caspian and Susan got a lot of gifts for their children among their presents including clothes and toys, the others all received all sorts of gifts such as clothing and jewellery. Edmund felt happy with Esther's reaction when she unwrapped the pearl earrings he'd bought for her from a new jewellers shop in the city, he wasn't an expert on buying presents for women other than his sisters and had asked Peter for advice which he'd been only too happy to give. The real surprise came when Lucy unwrapped a ruby necklace from the Anvard family, Caspian seemed almost as surprised as Lucy as he told them all about how he'd had the previous Lord Anvard beheaded for treason. Lucy said to the others, "perhaps they want to let go of their past and make a new start, after all the new Lord took the mayors job, why send me a present as well as Caspian though? Why not Peter, Susan or Edmund?"

Caspian thought for a second and remembered something that might be connected, "I know the mayor has a younger brother, he'd be about your age Lucy, maybe he sent it, I know he's a fan of the old Narnian tales of the golden age, I bought him a copy once as a birthday present since I met him a few times. Would have been after you and the others left after the revolution, he must be a fan of yours."

Lucy then said, "well that's very nice of him to do that. I must write him a thank you letter for this, it's lovely."

They all shrugged and kept opening gifts before moving off for Christmas lunch, Lucy putting the necklace on at once, as it went well with her hair and clothes.

The next day was Esther's sixteenth birthday, so they held a small party for her. They mostly invited the council Lords, Lucy passing a thank you note to Lord Anvard to give to his brother when she saw him. Among Esther's birthday gifts Edmund gave her a pearl necklace to match the earrings he'd given her for Christmas and she absolutely loved them thanking him both verbally while everyone was looking and non verbally when they weren't. Professor Cornelius gave her several books on stars and the various theories about them, which she found very interesting as she had never seen any human literature on stars.

By January Susan and Verity both began to show a visible bulge, Susan was eight months pregnant and Verity was seven months. Neither Peter or Caspian had known how much pregnancy would change their wives but both were overjoyed at the prospect of becoming fathers despite mood swings and food cravings having replaced morning sickness. Peter had turned 19 on the 8th of January and felt a little disappointed that his child didn't see the party, before being reminded that he or she would see a lot of parties for Peter so there was no point in worrying about this one.

February came and Susan began to worry about becoming a mother and Caspian tried his best to calm her, they had all that they'd need made and a nursery had been prepared next door to their room.

Caspian sat with her in their room one night, a hand on her stomach feeling the baby kick. She turned and said, "I really hope I'm ready, what if I make a mistake and ruin our child's life."

Caspian smiled reassuringly and replied, "you won't, you've always been the one with the motherly instinct with your brothers and sister. You've had to look after them a lot, I think that since you did that so well for so long you'll be a great mother. Anyway, I'm sure every new mother feels the same way before their child is born."

Susan smiled slightly and said, "I know, I'm just nervous, our child will be the heir to the throne. Being parents is hard enough in normal families, but royalty have the added challenge of educating their children to rule the kingdom well."

Caspian remembered his own upbringing and said, "Professor Cornelius always helped to teach me, he was the closest I had to a father after my father died, our child will not only have us and him, but his aunts and uncles, they'll all help teach him or her to rule well."

Susan replied, "I know they will, I'm still nervous though."

Caspian then said, "I am too, every set of new parents surely feels the same way, I bet Peter and Verity are feeling just as nervous."

Susan nodded and the two of them got into bed, another day had passed, It would be only another month and the heir would be born, hopefully into a future of peace and prosperity made possible by their efforts, the seeds of the future had been sown and now time would come to reap the harvest and bring forth the future.