I do not own Narnia or anything associated with that magical place.

A/N: So, I know I said to some of you that I didn't know when this will be updated. It turns out that I had written this chapter about a month ago; it just needed an ending and some editing done. I ended it here because I didn't want to drag it out much longer.

Eclipse of the Soul:
Return to Narnia

Part II:
~Narnia~
Chapter Three:
~Enemies~

Robert was in paradise. He sat on a soft couch amid silk pillows. The room they had given him was filled with rich treasures and beautiful women who waited on him, tending to his every need. He knew what he did was wrong, but his desire for Susan was so great, he was willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary to make her his.

But...he thought, you cannot make someone love you.

But she does love me. She just doesn't know it.

Are you certain? She seemed pretty cozy with Eric at the dance.

Don't think about Eric! She doesn't want him, she wants me!

Robert battled with his conscience until he felt like his brain would burst. Trying to rationalize his actions was tiring.

"Sir Robert?" asked a quiet voice.

He looked up to see a small girl standing next to him.

"The Tisroc (may he live forever) will speak with you now."

He stood and stretched.

"Lead the way."

As he followed the young girl through a series of endless corridors and rooms, he thought of how he ended up in this intimidating world.

"So you like Queen Susan, huh?" Sarah asked.

Robert was out walking when Sarah had cornered him in a dark alley.

"Who's Queen Susan?"

She made a tsk noise, obviously annoyed at his lack of knowledge.

"The one you asked to go to the Christmas Ball with."

"Susan Pevensie? She's not a queen!" Robert said in a knowing voice. "The queen I know of is in the country, celebrating Christmas."

"In this world she's not a queen. But in Narnia, she's known as Queen Susan, the Gentle."

"Bah! Your crazy! There's no such place as Narnia. Now leave me be, I need to finish sulking."

Robert tried to walk past her, but she shoved him into the wall. He grunted at the sudden pain in his shoulders.

"You don't think that Earth is the only world out there, do you? Think about it! Man is the only being in the universe? It doesn't make sense! There are other worlds, other dimensions. Some are more powerful than others, but they're out there, trust me."

"Why should I believe you? You just shoved me into a wall, after trying to convince me that Susan is a queen of some make believe world."

"I'll fix the pain," said a gruff voice.

An older man stepped out from the shadows. He wore an intricate metal breastplate and leather breeches. His eyes, though dark and cold, had a certain gleam that made Robert's blood run cold.

"Wh-who are you?" he stuttered.

"I am Borka, Head General of Calormen. That is all you need to know."

"Calormen? Never heard of it..."

"It doesn't matter! We'll prove to you that Susan Pevensie is truly a queen."

"How will you do that?"

Clearly frightened out of his wits at the powerful aura of Sarah and the General, he was also interested in what they had to say. Something in his gut made him think that maybe they weren't lying.

"General?"

Borka opened his arms and spoke in a strange tongue. Robert's mouth dropped as he watched the bricks at the end of the alley started to disappear. In the bricks' place, was a picture of a wardrobe. He watched as Lucy, a little younger than she is now, opened the wardrobe and stepped inside. The scene dissolved and was immediately replaced by a scene of the Pevenesies walking through a crowd of mythical creatures. He saw them bow as a lion, bigger than he had ever seen, started talking. The scene changed; this time he saw the four Pevensies sitting on thrones as a goat-type man crowned them. What followed were scenes from what he assumed was their reign. As each scene appeared, they seemed older than the one before. The last scene was of them dismounting from their horses and gazing in wonder a lamp post.

Borka smirked when he turned to Robert.

"Do you believe?" he asked.

Robert didn't answer. Somewhere, deep down, he could feel that Sarah and this burly man Borka spoke the truth. He thought fast. If Susan was a queen, than that means the man who courted her would become king. True, it was in a different world, but the power he would have...

"What must I do?"

Before he knew it, they were standing in front of two massive doors bedecked with precious stones. From his short time in the palace, he had concluded that the Calormens were extremely wealthy.

"Stop at the third column and bow. Keep your head down and do not speak until you are spoken to. Your answers should be short and to the point; I will wait here for you," the young girl said.

Robert gulped and nodded.

The doors opened and he stepped on to bright room. The throne room was huge and he felt like it would never end. As instructed, he stopped at the third set of columns and bowed. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the elaborately dressed courtiers whispering amongst themselves on the edge of the room.

"Welcome to my Empire, Sir Robert," said the Tisroc in the high dais above him. "I wish to thank you for aiding in kidnapping the two barbarian queens."

He nodded, unsure of what to say.

"As promised, a reward shall be granted in return of your services."

A young woman in a flowing emerald gown entered the room. Her long hair was piled high above her head, which was held up with gold pins. She walked timidly, though anyone could see that she struggled with the restrictions that men required of her.

"Ah, Aaliyah, welcome."

"Oh, my most esteemed father," she said as she curtsied.

"Daughter, I have decided on a husband for you. You shall wed Sir Robert of Ing-land in 6 months time."

Robert felt his world crash down around him as the princess looked at him with disgust. But instead of protesting, she lowered her eyes and spoke in a quiet voice.

"Thank you, Father. You honor me with your gifts."

"Very well. It is decided."

They had promised me Susan! They betrayed me!

"Pardon me, sir, but I was told Susan would be given to me."

The Tisroc regarded him thoughtfully before speaking.

"My dear boy, I can see why you are smitten with Queen Susan. Anyone would be. But she needs a strong hand to guide her, for she is young and headstrong. So I shall marry her. My daughter is obedient and knows her place. She'll make a good wife for you."

Robert almost threw a temper tantrum, but something held him back. Perhaps it was the smug glint in the older man's eyes, or maybe it was the sudden understanding of how dangerous the situation was. Whatever the reason, he held his tongue.

"Then it is settled. You may go now, Sir Robert."

Before the Tisroc had finished his sentence, Robert had turned on his heel and left the room; he could hear laughter behind him before the doors closed.

"Aslan had decreed that Peter and I were not supposed to return. And yet here I am," Susan said.

An hour had passed and the two queens had just finished their tale. Eric, they knew, was astonished and needed more time to process this new information. However, they didn't have enough time.

"I know its a lot to take in, Eric, but please believe us when we say we're still the same girls from Finchley. We're just more mature than most girls our age," Lucy said when Eric didn't respond.

"I don't think he believes us..."

He blinked. "Of course I believe you. But my question is, why didn't they take Peter and Edmund, too?"

"We're not quite sure, to be honest."

Just then, the door opened and Sabella and Raewyn stepped into the room.

"We're here to escort you to the dining hall," Sabella said.

Susan knew that the Calormen's wouldn't do anything harmful, they were too valuable. Except for Eric.

"Very well."

The trio followed the two women to the banquet hall. The smell of delicious food beckoned them towards the hall.

"Queen Susan shall sit at the left hand of the Tisroc (may he live forever) and Queen Lucy shall sit at her majesty's right. Eric shall sit across from Queen Lucy", said one of the guards.

They followed his instructions, knowing that obedience was perhaps the best route to take. Just as they were seated, a herald in bright colors came into the hall.

"His most pristine excellency, Emperor and Lord of all Calormen and its lands near and far, the Tisroc (may he live forever)!"

With a florish of trumpets, the curtains parted and a man entered. He wore white trousers with a red sash embroidered in gold. His shirt was covered by an overcoat of pale yellow silk. His hands were covered in priceless rings and he wore a gold chain with a large garnet pendent around his neck. He walked with confidence and his mouth was twisted in a knowing smirk. He looked around the room and when his eyes caught Susan, his smirk broadened. All in all, the Tisroc was a spoiled man. The queens and Eric could tell he was used to getting his way. He took his place at the head of the table and grinned.

"Good evening my friends! Tonight we celebrate a new beginning! I must say that at the end of this month, we shall have conquered Narnia and bent all who oppose us to our will."

Susan and Lucy remained silent as the Tisroc continued his speech. He described the oppression of Narnians in great detail, proclaiming that resistance shall be crushed and terminated. After what seemed like an eternity of barbarity, by this time Susan and Lucy were wide-eyed and almost shaking, he concluded his speech.

"And in the end, we shall have expended our Empire to the end of the Continent! Let us drink to our success!"

The guests raised their glasses and said in unison "To his supreme majesty, the Tisroc (may he live forever) and the future he will lead us to!"

Susan, Lucy, and Eric's goblets remained untouched as they looked at each other in horror.

"Let us begin the feast!"

Servants entered the hall carrying platter bearing dishes of all kinds. While they placed the plates on the table, the Tisroc leaned towards Susan.

"I have a proposal for you, my dear Queen Susan, one that you won't be able to refuse."

Susan looked at him, her face unreadable.

"What would that be, my lord?"

"Your hand in marriage, of course," he replied with a smile.

She recoiled at his words, speechless.

"You are very beautiful and according to the works of my ancestor, Rabadash, you grow more beautiful with time."

He grasped her hand tightly and spoke softer, "if you marry me, I shall spare your brothers. I had intended on killing them, but I know you would be devastated."

Susan looked at him in horror.

"You would bribe me into marrying you?" she exclaimed.

He looked at her, his face a mixture of desire and lust.

"What of the current king of Narnia?" she asked quietly.

She was still unsure of how much time had passed since her last visit.

"King Caspian? I'm not quite sure..."

Susan let out a tiny cry at the mention of Caspian.

"Caspian X?"

The Tisroc nodded. Her quick intake of breath did not go unnoticed by him and he was suspicious.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

Perhaps a little too quickly, for his eyes narrowed.

Lucy softly nudged her leg, silently pleading her to control her emotions.

"So what do you say, my dear? Will you marry me?"

"...give me time to consider your proposal, my lord."

"Very well, my queen. You have 3 days. On the third day at sundown, I shall expect an answer."

Susan nodded and looked at Lucy, who's eyes were wide at the notion of Susan seriously considering the Tisroc's proposal. Eric remained silent, though his face was red.

"You shall have free reign over the palace and gardens, but you must not venture into the city," the Tisroc said.

What are we going to do? thoughtLucy. Susan can't marry him! He's too old! Oh, if only Peter and Edmund were here!

She glanced at Eric, who was looking down at his plate, food and goblet untouched. He too was horrified at the thought of Susan marrying an older man.

Susan spent the rest of the banquet lost in her thoughts. Lucy tried to make conversation with her and Eric, but her attempts were gently brushed off.

Oh Aslan, Susan thought, what am I going to do? What's going to happen to me?

A/N: Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!