A/N: Here's another development for Susan, which I'm guessing some of you had predicted. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed, and if you like what I'm doing, please keep letting me know!

Chapter Ten- Proposing

After Peter's last words, a long silence filled the room. The siblings stared at each other, each not daring to voice their thoughts, their fears, of what could happen. Lucy finally broke the silence by asking, in the innocent voice of a young girl, "What do you think he'll do?"

Peter's first thought was to not answer, to try to keep Lucy out of all of this, but deeper inside he felt that she was old enough to help, and that it would be her duty as Queen to give as much support as she could.

"I don't know," he answered. "I mean, it could only be an empty treat, or he can ask for the King to do… well, whatever he wants."

"Do you think," Lucy questioned, "that this could make it so… almost like Galma isn't our ally anymore, and if we go to war they won't support us? They would side with our enemy."

Susan desperately wanted to remain calm, but as she heard her sister's ideas, she couldn't keep her own to herself. "Or they could cut trade with us and be unfriendly in countless ways."

"That's what I think is more likely to happen," said Peter. "I think… I hope that they will put aside their differences with us, I should say with me, if we ever were in war, but I don't know. Ed, what do you think?"

Edmund cocked his head to the side, as if considering which portion of his thoughts to share with the others. "For now," he said, "I think the best thing to do is wait and see how things go. We could very well be worried for nothing, and…"

Susan interrupted him. "I understand what you mean, but Ed, if we do nothing, we could be surprised and not have enough time to plan our actions. We need some sort of plan, but we will wait to use it until we need to."

"Su, we have no idea what they're planning. If we make a plan, it's only for one scenario out of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of possible ones. We need to not worry too much, or else when we need to act, all our ideas will be muddled."

"Edmund, I think Susan is right. We need at least an idea of what we may do, and if we don't do this, I know I won't be able to put it out of my mind. It will be nagging me unless…"

"It should nag at you!" exclaimed Edmund. "This is your fault. If you hadn't provoked her father, he wouldn't be spreading bad things about Narnia around in Galma. This doesn't even affect only you, it affects Narnia. It affects me, and Susan and Lucy, and every person who looks up to you and thinks you are protecting them. If you don't realize that, then you have no right to be here."

A shocked silence met those words. When Peter spoke, he made a huge effort to stay calm.

"You don't honestly think I don't realize what my actions have done, do you? It's because I know what I've done that I want to have a plan, to be prepared for when this will come back and try to harm all of Narnia. That's also what you want, so let's not argue and talk this over calmly to make the decision that will best benefit Narnia."

Edmund bit his lip. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all of this. We can make a plan for a possible outcome of this if you want to."

"Thanks Ed."

"Um," Lucy started quietly and nervously. "I think that whatever we do, it should make this an issue between our family and Kiara's, not Narnia with Galma."

"Yes, that's right Lu," said Susan. "but I had another idea. I thought we should ask Kiara's father if until she is old enough to live on her own, she can stay with him, in Galma, but during that time he promises not to force her to marry anybody. That way, as soon as she is free to, she can come back to Narnia and you can marry her."

"That's a good idea, Su," said Peter. "I'll write the letter today, and tomorrow, after-tomorrow at the latest, it will be posted." He stood, and his siblings all knew that the conversation was closed. Peter had said what he wished to, and he had heard a suggestion that he agreed with. There was nothing more to be said.

Susan, Edmund, and Lucy headed out together. They were silent as they walked down the corridor, but as the trio neared the staircase, Lucy asked, "What time is it?"

Edmund always had a pocket-watch on him, so he looked at it and answered, "About half past nine."

When she heard this, Susan was startled. She had completely forgotten her meeting with Rabadash at ten. It was in half an hour.

"Oh, no," she moaned, and started down the stairs quickly.

"Susan, what is it?" asked Lucy.

"I'm supposed to meet with Prince Rabadash at ten. I have to get ready." With those words, she raced away.

"Poor Susan," sighed Lucy.

"Well, I have news that will cheer her up when she hears it; her and the rest of Narnia," said Edmund.

"Oh, what is it?" demanded Lucy impatiently.

"Prince Rabadash told me yesterday that he was planning on leaving very soon. In less than a week we shall be rid of him."

"Good! Every minute I spend with him is torture. As soon as Susan comes back, I'll tell her. That will certainly cheer her up."

Rabadash was irritated. Susan was late. What on earth could she be doing? As he paced about, he looked at his watch. Four minutes past ten. Of course, no other person would consider a few minutes delay "late", but Rabadash was a Prince, and unlike the Pevensie siblings, he had grown up in a place where he was always put first. He never, ever had to wait, and if a servant was even a minute late delivering something, he would admonish them or, if he was in a very bad mood, fire them.

As Rabadash thought about how uncivilized Susan was to come so late, she was scurrying out of Cair Paravel. She reached Prince Rabadash as quickly as she could, but by the time she was there, it was six minutes past ten and Rabadash was fuming.

"Your Highness," said Susan with a curtsey.

"Your Majesty," responded the Prince. At the sight of Susan looking so pretty and delicate, all his anger washed away. He could never be mad at Susan for long. She was so very gorgeous.

"Shall we go walk?" asked Susan.

"Um, yes," said Rabadash. Today was the day, he thought as he walked with Susan through the gardens. He was finally going to do what he had intended to do since before he set foot in Narnia.

Once the pair was in a less visited, quieter part of the garden, Rabadash stopped. "Your Majesty," he said, "please, sit down."

Susan sat on a bench next to the Prince. "What is it?" she asked with a smile.

Rabadash didn't answer. Instead he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a ring. "Queen Susan, will you marry me?" he asked.

Susan was too surprised to speak. She stared at the ring, then looked up at the Prince's face, and she saw in it something that had always been there, but that she had never noticed. She saw love.

Rabadash saw that Susan couldn't speak, so he continued. "I have loved you since I first saw you, and I wanted to marry you immediately, but my father convinced me to pay you another visit first, where I would get to know you and see if I truly love you. Now that I have been here for a few weeks, I am convinced. I love you, and I always will. Please marry me."

Susan knew she could never marry the Prince, but he seemed so very in love that she decided to make her refusal as kind as she could. "Your Highness, I'm sorry, but though I have enjoyed your stay, I do not want to marry yet, and I do not feel what I believe true love is when I am with you."

Rabadash's face turned dark, and his eyes filled with disappointment… and anger. "So you are refusing me, a Prince living in the largest palace in this world, with the promise of a large, powerful kingdom in my future. Most others would give anything for this honor."

"I know, your Highness, and I am honored that you would choose me, but I believe that one should marry only if they are in love, not for titles or riches. I have looked for this love, but I have yet to find it, so do not be offended by my refusal. There have been others before you who wanted to marry me, and they all received the same answer. I will marry no one yet."

"Think of the benefits to Narnia. A man of Narnian descent will someday rule Calormen, and even before that, Calormen is a powerful ally, and the advantages of ties with her are countless. Surely your people mean enough to you that you will reconsider."

"Yes, my people mean a lot to me. They are so important that I would never willingly leave them. I want to stay in Narnia to protect them and care for them."

"What if protection of your people involves leaving Narnia?" whispered Rabadash. His eyes were blazing with hatred and determination.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Of course, my father, Tisroc of Calormen, will hear about this, and he too was in favor of our union. He will be angry that you refused. So angry that perhaps he will take it out on all of Narnia."

Susan gasped. "You don't mean to say that he would go to war with us simply because I do not wish to marry you."

"I said nothing of the sort, just that it might annoy him. Now, I am a gentleman." Susan rolled her eyes, but thankfully, Rabadash didn't notice. "I am willing to offer you a deal."

Susan raised her head and looked at Rabadash intently. What was he getting at? "Yes," she answered politely.

"I will allow you twenty-four hours to make a decision. Think it over carefully, or your people and family may suffer because of your choice. It is now ten thirty. At ten thirty tomorrow, I will wait for you here and you will give me your answer. Be wise in your decision, for I do not want you to potentially be harmed by your own foolishness." When he saw that Susan was not even thanking him for the delay, he added, "Your Majesty, do you accept this?"

"I do," answered Susan. She didn't show it, but she was glad of the time she now had. A day was enough to think this over extensively, and if she couldn't figure it out herself, she could ask Peter, Edmund, and Lucy for help. However, she resolved only to speak to them if she absolutely needed to.

"Excuse me," she murmured and walked away.

At first, her head was spinning, but by the time she reached Cair Paravel, her head had cleared and she realized the mistake she had thought of making.

"This concerns my siblings just as much as it concerns me," she thought. "I'll call them over now and discuss this with them. Please, Aslan, help us make the right choice, not only with this, but with Peter's love troubles as well. Guide us in doing whatever we can for the good of Narnia, even if that involves marriage for me."