Disclaimer: Dear C.S. Lewis, how I wish I owned your marvelous characters. Unfortunately, I don't. Sad. I do own Scara, though. Yay!
A/N: This chapter took up 20 pages in Microsoft word, it has 9,532 words, and it only took a month and eight days to post. Which is better than I normally do. Haha. Just to let you guys know. :)
Before she could even think, Susan found herself flying through the air, destined for the lake below her. She braced herself the best she could, praying that the water wasn't too cold.
She hit the surface of the water with a splash, and proceeded to go under. From underneath the bubbles, she could hear the sound of someone diving in after her, knowing it was Caspian. Opening her eyes, she found the warm water remarkably clear to see in. Glancing to her right, she could see Caspian, swimming up to the surface of the water.
Taking this opportunity, she swam quietly up to him, watching his legs kick slowly in the water. Coming up right beside him, she reached up to grab his shoulders, sending him back under, and pushing her up.
She breached the surface with a small splash, laughing. The other four men were around her, laughing as well, seeing what she had just done to their comrade. After a few seconds, he surfaced, pushing wet strands of hair out of his face.
Once his face was visible, everyone could see a mischievous grin dancing on his features. It only lasted a moment, though, as Dominic and Roberto opened fire, and began to splash the two in the middle mercilessly. The rest of the boys soon joined in, attacking them.
Both laughing, Susan quickly swam over toward Caspian, and buried her head into his chest, seeking protection. He happily obliged, wrapping his strong, soaking arms around her, shielding her from the water. He could feel her back shaking with laughter, causing him to laugh harder still.
After a few seconds, the splashing of water stopped, replaced by the low rumble of five young men laughing. Susan still held on to the king, laughing as well. Pulling apart from him for a second, she looked up at him with a childish glimmer in her eyes. Dipping her hand under the water, he watched his confused look with amusement. Suddenly, she flicked her hand up, splashing water in his face.
He looked down at her, his face plastered with a look of utter surprise, with a hint of a smile shining through. Without another second's hesitation, he captured Susan in his arms, holding her tightly. She fought him, laughing so hard that her sides were beginning to hurt, until he managed to drag both of them under the water.
After a few seconds, they both surfaced together, completely drenched. Laughing, the group began to swim back to the shore, to dry off. Getting out of the water first, Caspian helped Susan out, smiling as she plucked strings of wet hair off of her face. He walked over to where his shirt lay, and began to put it on, but was stopped by Susan clearing her throat. He looked over to see her hand outstretched, a smile on her face.
With a small laugh, he took his shirt off, and handed it to her. She grinned back at him, took the shirt, and went into her tent. She was adorable.
The late night swim made it hard for anyone to even attempt sleeping, so the boys restarted the fire, and were now sitting around it, talking. Caspian had found himself a new, clean shirt, awaiting the arrival of the young woman who was now wearing his old one.
"So, Caspian," Antonio began, glancing at the king through the flames, "never thought you one to fall for a queen of old. How'd that happen?"
"Fall for? I have no idea what you're talking about," he came back with, feeling his face flush. He pulled a blanket over his shoulders, hoping to hide his face.
"Oh, come on. You know exactly what we're talking about," Roberto chuckled.
"We've seen you. The way you look at her? You look just like Javier when he's around Dianna. And they're married!" Antonio remarked, causing Javier to shrug.
"I think it's pretty obvious that you love her, Caspian," Dominic began, unfazed by the king's attempts to cut in, "and that might present us with a small problem."
"Yeah…I think the fact that he's just married could be a slight hindrance," Javier stated sarcastically, "What exactly do you plan to do about Lady Ethine, Caspian? You can't divorce her-she and her family would be heartbroken, and the public would be disappointed in you. And you can't kill her, because…well you can figure that one out on your own."
"I don't know. Apparently, it's rather obvious that I'm in love with Susan. And she has to come back to the palace with us tomorrow. How am I supposed to hide this?" He sighed, while running a hand through his hair, "I don't know how to tell Ethine, or the public. But then, that's not fair to Susan. And...I just don't know what to do."
"What's all the fuss about?" A sweet voice, with a familiar English accent came from the darkness.
They all looked around, until Susan came into the light. She was dressed in Caspian's white blouse, which was two times too big for her, and some long pajama pants. She took a seat next to the king, who took the blanket off of himself, and put it around her. He thought that she looked absolutely beautiful…wearing his clothes. She accepted it with a small, confused smile.
"We were just talking about how you would be coming to the palace tomorrow, my lady," Dominic covered for the rest of the group.
"That's very true. I'm excited," she stated with a grin.
"I'm glad that you are, my lady," stated Caspian, flicking a sweet glance at her. He could sense the other four rolling their eyes.
They talked for another good hour, watching the fire slowly whittle down to a glowing heap of embers and ash. Eyelids were starting to droop, tired shivers were creeping over tired bodies, and heads were beginning to cloud with sleep.
"Alright everyone," Javier stated before yawning, "We should get to bed." The rest of his comrades smiled. Javier, always the grown up.
"Agreed," Antonio replied in a strained voice, arching his back in a stretch.
They all stood up, finally realizing how frigid the night air was against their sensitive skin. Susan wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, eager to crawl into her warm bed. They took a moment to get used to standing, before Caspian spoke softly.
"We'll see you in the morning, then." He nodded towards his troops. They all smiled at him and the queen, and then went to their tents.
"Would her highness allow me the honor of escorting her to her tent?" The king whispered, his gaze now fixed on his lovely queen. Well, he wanted her to be his, anyway.
"I would very much like that, thank you," she replied, almost too tired to keep her eyelids open. Caspian could see this, so he brought her into his warm arms. She nuzzled her head underneath his chin, in the crook of his neck. She could then feel his arm gently lifting her legs up, so that he was carrying her.
She felt like she was floating, as he carried her effortlessly to her tent. Once they finally reached the destination, he gently placed her feet on the ground before him. She looked up at him sleepily, so many words and feelings that she wanted to say threatening to get passed her weakened defenses.
Looking down at her, he could see a look of love deep within her crystal blue eyes. His heart throbbed in his chest, and he hoped to Aslan that she couldn't hear it. Everything about her drove him crazy. From her sparkling ocean eyes to her full lips, her sweet and clear voice to her luscious curves. In all, she was the closest thing to perfect that he had ever seen – and she had a personality to match. She was more than everything he had ever wanted.
"If it isn't too bold to say, my queen," he began, Spanish accent making her mind succumb to his will, "I could gaze upon your beautiful face till my eyes couldn't stay open any longer." His eyes met hers, light against dark.
"Your boldness is appreciated, sire," she managed to get out, in a hushed voice. The corners of her mouth curled upward, a sweet smile manipulating her mouth. She then stood on her tiptoes, bracing herself on his chest. Leaning her neck to the side, she gently pressed her lips to his cheek, making him shudder slightly. She grinned against his skin, and then pulled away. Giving him one last look, she winked, and went into her tent.
Caspian stood there for a moment, replaying what had just happened in his head. Casting a glance at her tent, he couldn't help but smile like an idiot. He began to walk towards his tent, the cold air reminding him of the fact that a warm body used to be against his. With a shiver, he entered his tent, and eagerly hopped into his bed. As he laid his head against the pillow, he felt a low chuckle escape his lips - his dreams would now, undoubtedly, be filled by the beautiful High Queen.
After hours of unsuccessful trying, Scara had finally managed to fall into a fitful sleep. Images of Torin, dead and alive, kept crawling into her nightmares. She could see him smile, the one thing she loved most about him. The next image would be the fading of the light in his eyes, shrinking away.
She tossed and turned in her sleep, mangling the silk sheets of her bed. Finally, her eyes opened. She ran a hand over her face. She was sweating, but she felt so cold. Long wisps of silver hair clung to her exposed chest, it too drenched in sweat. In all of this, she could just faintly feel the sting of a hot tear meeting the skin of her cheek. Too tired to care, she let the salty droplet roll down her face, and onto her pillow.
With a sigh, she pulled back the covers, shuddering at the dark cold of the caves. She grabbed her lace robe, put it on, and then opened the door of her room. She was automatically greeted with an empty hallway, warmer than her room, ablaze with torches. Her feet light on the stone floor, she began to walk.
She walked the length of the hallway, into the central chamber. Here, water poured down from a hole in the ceiling into a pool on the floor. More torches illuminated this room, making it the brightest in the whole complex. Numerous stone benches, along with a few plush chairs, populated the area, where most people sat down during the day.
Over the water, she could hear a faint noise. The sound of singing voices carried throughout the complex, quiet as a ghost. In the Underground culture, it was traditional to lament the death of a leader in various ways. The leaders and elders, such as Scara, would exhibit twelve days of no war, and no planning of any kind. The citizens, however, would have the day of Song, where the well known citizens would gather, and sing their laments to the fallen.
She stood there for a moment, the sound of the falling water calming her restless soul. She remembered this place fondly-it was where she and Torin had eaten lunch nearly every day. During the daytime, the area bustled with activity, and by night, it was a vacant place where one could lay their thoughts.
With a small smile, she continued walking. After another few minutes or so, she found herself standing in front of a familiar pair of ornate doors. With a deep breath, she pushed them open.
Torin's room was exactly as she had always known it. In fact, it looked like he would be coming right back. The bed was unmade; the desk covered in papers, even some of his clothes still covered the floor. She smiled sadly, wishing nothing more than to have the handsome Underground leader with her.
Taking off her skimpy robe and throwing it to the floor, Scara crawled into Torin's bed, pulling up the covers behind her. As she lay her head down on the pillow, she could smell the faint scent of citrus and musk-his smell. Feeling as though he was almost with her, the knight finally fell deep asleep with a faint smile on her face.
The light of the soft morning sun shone through the fabric of tents, the muted light making everything glow. As the first ray of sunshine touched her face, Susan blinked her eyes open. For the amount of sleep she got, she felt better rested than she had in a very long time.
She reached her arms above her head, groaning as she stretched. It was then that she remembered that she was wearing the king's shirt. As she thought about the situation, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Here she was, with the King of Telmarine Narnia, and his four best soldiers…also known as his best friends. She had splashed around with all of them in a lake. She was wearing the king's clothes. She had been around a campfire with some of the most respected men in Narnia. Joking around and having fun.
To the average person, this would sound completely absurd. But to her, it was making her happier than she had been since she had left Narnia.
Rolling out from underneath her covers, she shrugged her cardigan on, suddenly smelling something delicious cooking. Pulling the flaps of her tent apart, she was greeted by a much more intense ray of sun, making her squint.
After recovering, she made her way over to the, now blazing, campfire, where five groggy young men sat, the oldest making breakfast.
"Good morning, everyone," she said happily, causing five Hispanic faces to turn towards her, each one smiling. They all sat up a little straighter, as the queen took a seat in between Dominic and Roberto.
"What's for breakfast, Javier," she questioned, pushing up the sleeves of her too-big shirt, "It smells wonderful." She glanced at the king as she asked, who caught her gaze with a smile.
"Today, my lady," Javier began, glancing into the kettle that hung low over the fire, "we have wild herbs and vegetables, all in a chicken broth."
"It sounds, and smells, fantastic," she complimented, trying her hardest not to meet Caspian's eyes, which were staring at her. After a little while, she gave in, her bright eyes meeting his dark ones. She watched as he mouthed something to her, making her nod.
We need to talk later.
The rest of breakfast was uneventful, with the exception of all the stolen glances between the king and queen. Neither of them had forgotten about their somewhat romantic encounters last night, a fact that was driving both of them insane.
They both left breakfast a bit early, to go and take down their tents. They waited until the rest of the men were occupying themselves with taking their own tents down, and then they both left, destined for the shore.
"You wanted to talk?" Susan asked, the slight breeze blowing her hair all around her face, and make the sleeves of the shirt she was wearing billow. To Caspian, she looked stunning. As usual.
"I did. Thank you for meeting with me," He began, tucking his hair behind his ear. "I was thinking. You're going to be coming to the palace today, and I'm so excited. My people are all excited. I just wanted to let you know that some things are different." He fumbled over his words, knowing that he was going to have to break the news to her about his recent trip into marriage.
"Different?" She asked quizzically, the thought of him being with someone not crossing her mind once.
"Well…sort of," he stated, mentally smacking himself for how stupid he sounded, "Most things are the same. I suppose there's really only one major…major change."
"And that is…?"
His heart started racing.
"Um…"
It was now or never.
"Well…"
"Aye! Caspian! Vamanos!" The voice of Dominic came from where the entire group sat, saddled on their horses, ready to go. Caspian's heart sank.
"I'll tell you later, my dear Susan. No need to fret about it now." He smiled reassuringly at her, making her grin in response. They walked up the beach, to where their comrades waited. Caspian, ever the gentleman, helped his queen up onto her horse, and put her feet gently into the stirrups.
He finally got onto his own horse, but not after looking at all the amused faces of his friends. He simply smiled at them, before nudging his horse forward.
They were off to the palace.
She woke to the sound of falling water.
Looking around at her surroundings, it took her a moment to figure out where she was, and how she got there. She was lying in a plush four poster bed, the same one that she had woken up in somewhat frequently of late, a result of her late night "meetings" with Torin.
Torin.
For a moment, she wished that what had happened within the past day was just a bad dream, and, if she turned around right then, that he would be fast asleep next to her. But she knew in her heart that this wouldn't happen now, nor would it ever happen again. Her love was dead.
With a sigh, she slipped out of bed, and walked over to the waterfall that resided in his room. Reaching her hand out to the pelting stream, she smiled with delight-it was hot. She wiggled her engagement ring off of her finger, and put it on Torin's desk. Next, she slipped out of her nightgown, placing it over the back of his chair.
Wincing in pain for a moment, she stepped into the pool of water, feeling herself go under the floor line. The scalding water became more bearable within the next few minutes, and she found herself underneath the waterfall.
All the emotions from the past day slipped off of her worn body, and mixed with the water. She closed her eyes, feeling her soul getting lost in the feeling. After a few minutes, her eyes snapped open in realization.
I am leader. I'm leader of the Underground.
The group had ridden about an hour, with only ten minutes left in their long journey home. Caspian's heart thudded in his chest, praying to Aslan that he would have time to explain the situation before Susan met Ethine. He was silent most of the ride, worried sick about what was about to happen. Susan noticed this, and rode right up beside him.
"Something the matter, Caspian?"
He glanced over at her, the concerned look on her face making his heart flutter. How does she have this effect on me? He mused inwardly.
"I'm fine, thank you, your highness." He smiled at her.
"Oh, Caspian. I wish you wouldn't be so formal sometimes," she said lightly, her voice threatening to break out in a laugh. "You and I are…" she paused, "friends. There's no need for real titles, I don't think."
"Forgive me," he apologized, looking straight ahead, "I just forget sometimes that you let me call you by your first name. You're the first person who has ever told me to call you something that isn't her highness, or her majesty."
To this, she laughed. Oh, history books. She was about to say something else, but then Caspian pointed to something straight ahead. She followed his arm to the tip of his finger, and gasped. There, coming over the horizon, was his palace.
Bright flags graced the highest towers, and she could see the guards helmets glint in the morning sunshine. It was beautiful.
"Oh, Caspian. It's gorgeous!" She exclaimed, remembering the way it had looked under Miraz. It had made such an improvement.
"Thank you," he smiled, looking more at her than his castle.
"I'll race you," she whispered excitedly to him, turning her head so that he could see the glimmer in her eyes. He laughed.
"But of course," he smiled, "Dominic! Count us off." He could feel the young man roll his eyes.
"Fine. 3…2…1…go." He said, bored.
The king and queen took off, nudging their horses to go faster. Through the wind in his ears, Caspian could hear the clear, light laugh coming from Susan. He laughed with her. She was ahead by just enough so that Caspian could see her long, chocolate brown, locks, fly out behind her, her perfect lips curled into a grin.
They reached the gates quickly, at which point, they decided that Susan was the winner. Caspian waved to one of the guards, who quickly alerted all the others. Six of them heaved the doors open, and one ran to the north tower, and began to ring the bell that resided there.
"What does the bell mean?" Susan inquired, as the doors creaked open.
"It means that something important is about to happen. In this case, your safe return." He smiled happily at her. "Everyone will be waiting to see you."
"To see me? Do they not know that their king has been gone as well? They should be celebrating for both of us." She said, instinctively reaching out to touch his hand. He shivered.
"We shall see," he nodded, as the doors became fully open, "You go first. You're really who they want to see." He laughed. She looked tentatively at him for a moment, but then smiled, and proceeded without question.
She passed through the gates first, watching the people line up along the sidewalks of the streets. Whispers of 'Queen Susan is back!' and 'She's alive!' could be heard all throughout the crowds, causing her to smile. She looked over her shoulder, and sure enough, there was the king, who was nodding to his people. He caught her gaze, to which she yelled, "Come, ride with me!"
He did as he was told, and rode up alongside Susan. By now, most of the entire city was present, gathering along the sides of the streets. He led her through the town, until they got to the center square, one that held bittersweet moments for both of them.
Near the edge of the square was a huge tree, its gnarled roots plunging deep within the earth. Both king and queen knew this tree to hold one painful memory, and one fantastic memory. This was the tree in which the Gentle Queen, along with the rest of her family, had left Narnia-the two elders for supposedly forever. But, this is also where the two of them had finally conveyed their true feelings for one another. In a way that neither of them would ever forget – a first kiss on both of their parts.
They stopped near the tree, both of them speechless for a moment.
"I think I like it better when I'm not going home," Susan said, finally breaking the short silence.
"As do I, my queen," he agreed with a smile. He then proceeded to dismount his horse, and walk around to where Susan sat. He gently took her waist, and carefully lifted her off of her horse. Her feet touching the ground at last, she leaned her head against his chest for a moment; before he reached down to take her hand.
They were halfway to the steps of the palace, when they heard the one thing that Caspian didn't want to hear - his name. He froze.
"Caspian!" Called a voice that Susan had never heard before, but Caspian was all too familiar with. Slowly, he and Susan turned around. There, over by the tree, sitting on a white horse, was none other than his new bride, Ethine.
Her hair was a dirty blond that came in waves to her shoulders. Her eyes were a deep green, accentuated by her lavish green overcoat. Both Susan and Caspian watched as she dismounted her mare excitedly, her dress nearly catching as she did so.
Caspian watched in absolute horror, as she came running towards him. Susan watched too, feeling as if she was going to faint. For, she could see, on this woman's head, was something that caught the sun's rays. Something that shone.
Ethine ran into Caspian with such force that it caused him to let go of the gentle queen's hand, and it sent something flying that clanked once it hit the cobblestone street. Susan watched, confused and jealous, as the pretty blonde wrapped her arms around the king, holding him close. Trying to take her eyes off of the sight before her, she looked at her feet. And then the ground. And that's when she saw it.
There, on the ground, was a golden band in the shape of a circle. Kneeling down to pick it up, she could feel her breath hitch in her throat. The band was a crown. And not just any crown. Looking at it, she could see that the gold had been shaped in such a way that it looked like a branch of ivy, leaves and all. This was her crown.
But then that would mean…NO.
She grabbed the crown, and quickly stood back up, looking at the hugging couple again. She looked closer. And then, to her utter dismay, the last piece of the puzzle came together. There, glittering on Ethine's left ring finger, was a ring that was obviously a wedding band. Her heart broke.
This woman was more than what she first appeared to be. This woman…was Caspian's wife, the Queen of Narnia.
Caspian's face was buried in a mop of blonde hair, as Ethine's arms around his neck threatened to choke the life out of him. He somehow managed to glance at Susan throughout the whole process, who was looking at him with a look that made him want to cry.
Shit.
He now remembered that they had never finished their conversation about the 'changes' that had occurred around the palace. And now those changes were here, wrapped around him. He only had a moment more to think about it though, as Ethine finally let go of his neck, put her hands on his face, and then pulled it to her own.
Their lips met, causing Caspian's mind to explode in panic. Susan stood there, unable to breathe. Her heart rate had skyrocketed, she was sure that someone could see it pounding in her chest. She tried to not let her composure slip, which proved to be very difficult as the new queen deepened the kiss between she and her husband. Behind her, she could faintly hear the crowd cheering, but she didn't comprehend it.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the couple broke apart, both of them breathless. Caspian immediately turned to the brunette queen, who shot him a glare that made him step back. Ethine came up beside him, taking his hand.
"Who is this, darling?" she questioned, her sweet voice sounding sour in Susan's ears.
"Um," he began, rubbing the back of his neck, "this is Queen Susan, my lady. She will be staying us for a while." Susan didn't look at either of them as she extended a hand to the blonde queen. Ethine grabbed onto it with both hands, shaking it excitedly.
"My queen, it's such an honor! I've heard so many stories…"
Susan forced herself to make eye contact with her fellow queen, a fake smile plastered onto her face.
"Thank you," she began, feeling sick, "I believe you dropped this, my lady." She held up the crown in her hand to the girl before her.
"Oh, thank you!" She exclaimed happily, taking it from her, "It really is beautiful, isn't it?"
"Very," the brunette remarked through clenched teeth.
They had made their way to the palace, Susan wishing she could go home more and more every passing second. Ethine was practically attached to Caspian, until he insisted on showing Susan the gardens for a few moments.
Before she could have time to object, she felt Caspian's warm, calloused hand grab her own, and was lead away from the procession, into the gardens. The hedges were high, making the beautiful gardens a maze to the untrained visitor. Luckily, Caspian had grown up with these hedges, so he knew the place like the back of his hand.
He led her through the maze, farther and farther in, until they reached the center, a clearing amidst the hedges with small benches and a fountain. It was here that Caspian let go of Susan's hand, and turned to face her.
"Susan…I can't begin to explain how sorry I am," he said, wishing nothing more than for him to make eye contact with him.
The queen couldn't bear to look at him. So many feelings were attacking her head, that she couldn't make any sense out of anything. She was angry with him for not warning her sooner that there would be a girl that clung to him with every fiber of her being waiting for them at the castle. She was confused as to how and when all of this occurred-from the proposal to the actual wedding. But above all, she was sad and hurt. She had never even thought of the fact that Caspian, her dear, sweet Caspian might be with someone else. The fact that even though he was recently married, that he decided to play with her heartstrings hurt her deeply. She had honestly believed that they were rekindling an old flame.
"Susan…" He pleaded, "Susan, please. Look at me."
Going against her better judgment, she turned her eyes to his. The look he gave her made her want to sob. His big brown eyes resembled something like a puppy's, the pain that he was experiencing evident.
"Caspian," she began, trying to get her emotions in order, "why didn't you tell me about her? We've had a rather questionable couple of days, for someone who's recently married!" her voice was raising, but she didn't care, "You made me believe in finding something that was obviously lost!"
The king was stunned that such words, spoken at such decibel, could come from something as sweet as the Gentle Queen. Silenced for only a moment, he began to speak again.
"I was going to tell you, I swear. That's why I called you aside earlier today-so that I might let you know what could have been in store for us today."
"Fine. But, Caspian…you knew you had just gotten married. Married! That doesn't mean that you go and be all romantic with someone else! Do you have any idea how guilty I feel?"
"Forgive me, my lady, but that was not my intent. If anything, the fault is all mine." He felt horrible for calling his affections toward the woman that he truly loved a 'fault'.
"You played on my affections, Caspian!" she exclaimed, a lump rising in her throat, "You made me believe that things were just going to pick up where they left off between us!"
"Again, I am sorry," he said quietly, feeling helpless under her glare.
"And," she was practically screaming now, "did you see what she was wearing on her head? A crown. A golden crown, in the shape of a branch of ivy! Sound familiar?" she watched as Caspian's face showed a horrified realization, "The crown that she bore on her head was mine. From thousands of years ago. Mine."
"Susan…oh, Susan. I'm so very sorry," he lamented, feeling his grip on the situation let go completely. He was spiraling downward now.
"If his majesty would be so kind as to show me out of the gardens?" She asked, unable to look at him. He felt his heart rip in two.
"Of course, my queen."
Scara sat in front of Torin's massive desk, sorting through his papers, which blanketed the top of his desk like a fresh layer of snow.
She flipped through pages and pages of battle plans, construction blueprints, and letters, nimble fingers leafing through the pages easily.
She had been going through the papers for a little more than half an hour now, and she was finally beginning to have an idea of what Torin had planned for the rest of excitement grew, as she read his detailed plans for everything-from Caspian and the rest of his council, to all of the citizens of the crown, and even for the kings and queens of old, should they return.
The knight was finding it rather difficult to refrain from planning anything, even as she had just begun her twelve days.
I could strategize, she thought, while everyone is still mourning, and then bring up the plan once my time is up. Eleven days is good enough to plan a fairly decent attack strategy.
She knew in her heart that this is what her master would have wanted. He had told her time and time again that it disheartened him to see her upset. He would then smile, give her a kiss, and laugh quietly.
She also knew that her people would think it an offense to the dead for her to stop the mourning of her leader for an attack on Caspian. She was stuck.
Upon her better judgment, she decided to wait out the last eleven days. She would much rather have the king against her, rather than her own people. In the meantime, she would be secretly putting many of Torin's ideas into a battle plan for the day after mourning was over.
Standing up to stretch for a moment, she was suddenly amazed at what she was doing. Right now, at this moment, she felt more invigorated to get things done than ever before. Her heart still ached for the love that she had lost, but she knew that the only way for her to cope with his death was to be proactive, and carry along, the way she knew he would have wanted her to.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Putting on one of his overcoats on her, she walked to the large doors, and opened the left one. There, standing in front of her, was one of Torin's old servants. He didn't say anything, but rather, held out his hand to her.
She looked down at his wrinkled palm, and smiled sadly. There, in his hand, was Torin's Master Ring. It was given to him when he first became leader of the Underground, many years ago. The thick band was made of pure gold, with six large precious stones around it. Ruby, fire. Sapphire, water. Emerald, earth. Diamond, air. Citrine, sun. Pearl, moon. All of these represented the domains in which it was said that the leader of the Underground could control. It had been passed down from Master to Master, since the founding of the cult, long before her time.
She smiled to the older man, and gently took the ring from his palm. He then left, leaving her alone. Looking down at the ring, she knew that it wouldn't fit any of her slender fingers. So, grabbing one of Torin's few necklaces, and sliding the pendant off of it, she slipped the ring on it, and then placed it around her neck.
The ring was heavy, but it was a weight that made her feel safe. Now, she could have a little bit of her last love with her wherever she went.
Dinner had been torture. Absolute torture.
Caspian was more miserable than he had been since the day three years ago, when the Pevensie family had walked through the tree that resided closely to their current position. Ethine had been talking the ear off of everyone around the table-the high queen, the council members, the four celebrated soldiers, and the king.
To make matters even worse, Susan wouldn't even look at him. He felt sick for the amount of pain that he had obviously caused her. He could tell that his friends knew what was going on, and that they were unspeakably siding with the high queen.
He felt horrible. He should have told her. And for the love of Aslan, he should have stopped the councilmen for adorning Ethine with Susan's legendary crown. If not mentioning his recent marriage wasn't insulting enough, the fact that his wife was wearing her crown surely must have sent her over the edge.
Susan, on the other hand, felt nauseous as well. Looking down at her plate full of food, she could feel her appetite shrink. She kept her eyes glued to any one of the council members or the soldiers, unable to even make eye contact with the king or queen.
She knew that she was an absolute wreck right now. She was at the point where, if she glanced at the new royal couple, who were seated at the head of the table, she knew that she would break down and cry.
Finally, after what felt like hours of pure torment, dinner was over. Getting up from the table much too quickly, Susan stumbled all over the bottom of her dress, until she stood up clumsily.
"Thank you for dinner, your graces," she said, looking at the wall behind both of them, "I think I shall retire for the night now, it's been a rather long day. I shall see you all in the morning. Goodnight." With that, she turned on her heel, and exited the dining hall.
Caspian watched her back as she left, knowing that things couldn't go on like this for much longer. With the fires of determination igniting behind his dark eyes, he excused himself from the table, and once out of the line of sight, began running after the gentle queen.
He ran lightly, his feet barely making noise as they propelled him through the open corridors of his palace. He was almost to her room, when the small sound of high heels clacking on the floor stopped him. He turned his head to the right. There, walking halfway down the corridor, was Susan. He could just see the open back of her midnight blue gown, a stark contrast to her creamy white skin.
As he watched her, he could see that she was stumbling a bit, as if she were slightly drunk. He then watched, heartbroken, as she tripped over the hem of her dress, knocking her to the ground. It was then that he could tell she was crying. She yelled, out of both pain and frustration, her voice ragged.
She then moved her feet out from underneath her, plopping down on the stone floor with a sob. She reached down to her feet, ripped off her heels, and practically threw them against the wall. She then realized that she was having a full out breakdown. No one had ever seen her like this.
And no one ever will, she thought through her tears. It was at that exact moment that she heard footsteps walking towards her. Trying to clear the tears out of her eyes, she squinted to see who it was that had found her. Then, out of the shadows, walked the king.
Dammit.
"Susan?" His voice called to her, concerned, "Susan, are you alright?" She closed her eyes, wishing for nothing more than the power to melt into the floor. She didn't say anything, as he walked over to her, and knelt down.
"Susan" he begged, "please look at me."
When she murmured through her crying that she couldn't, he took things into his own hands. Reaching his warm hands up to her face, he tipped her turned chin towards him. He then went to work on trying to get her eyes open, by gently running his index fingers over her eyelids. After only a few seconds, her red eyes opened, the crystal blue in them shining through her tears.
His heart went out to her, as he softly wiped the tears away from her cheeks. He felt so much love for the woman before him, that his mind was completely masked from looked at him, feeling completely helpless to do anything else, but bury her head in his chest, and allow all of the emotions that she had kept in that day come out.
He held her close, as if he could absorb her pain. Pain caused by him. The thought pierced his soul, the knowledge that he had hurt the woman that he loved with all of his heart killing him.
Eventually, she calmed down, taking her head away from his chest.
"This isn't going to work," she said quietly, watching him twirl a strand of her hair in his fingers.
"I know," he whispered, "I don't know what to do."
"Maybe," she began with a sigh, "if I could see you just once a day...without Ethine? That way we could talk interrupted."
"I would like that," he said with a smile.
"Then that's what we'll do," she grinned.
He then stood up, and walked over to wear her heels lay. He picked them up, and then went back and sat down next to her. Turning her so that her feet were in his lap, he gently pushed her dress back, exposing her feet, ankles, and the bottom most part of her calf. He suddenly found himself struggling against the urge to push it up farther, exposing more of her pale skin. He shivered inwardly at the thought.
He carefully slipped the right heel onto her foot, and tied the strap at the top with ease. He then did the same with the left.
"I'm simply amazed at how well you walk in these," Caspian mused aloud, smile on his face. He stood up, and extended his hand down to the beautiful queen on the floor.
"Why thank you, sire," she laughed, grabbing onto his hand, and standing up alongside him.
"Would her highness like me to escort her to her chambers?"
"Right now, I would like nothing better. Thank you." She linked her arm with his, and they began to walk, in the coolness of the night.
The rest of the week passed without incident, Susan and Caspian meeting every so often for hours, talking about everything. They usually met in one of the gardens, where they could go unseen. But on Friday, rain poured from the clouds, and lightning streaked across the sky.
He had found her reading in the library, her nose buried in the most recent book on Narnian history. Coming up from behind her, he had gently grabbed her waist, making her squeal lightly, dropping the book.
"I thought you might be here," he laughed, sitting down next to her.
"You found me," she said with a smile, closing her book, and putting it on the table. "It's a nice change of scenery, don't you think?"
Caspian looked around at the deserted library, with its numerous bookshelves, a roaring fire before them. It was much cozier than the gardens.
"Yes, I do believe it is," he agreed.
They talked for hours, until Caspian had to meet with his councilmen about the annual Ball de Luna, which was occurring tomorrow. Susan had been hearing all about this event all week, but she still wasn't sure what it was.
"What exactly is the Ball de Luna, Caspian?" I've been hearing about it all week," she questioned, while playing with his fingers.
"It translates into the Ball of the Moon. It is held on the first full moon of the summer every year. In this case, it is tomorrow. Will you be coming?" He looked at her, his eyes hopeful.
"I wasn't actually planning on it, sorry," she said quietly, "I'm not really one for dances."
"Oh, Susan, please? You must come. You're the most important guest in the kingdom! Please?" He shot her his best puppy dog eyes.
"Oh, don't do this to me, Caspian! No." She said, on the verge of laughing. His look increased.
"Caspian!" She laughed, unable to stand it, "Fine. I'll go."
He looked at her, smiling widely. "Oh, good."
It was less than twenty four hours later, and Susan was already beginning to regret her decision. She stood in her chambers, staring blankly at her closetful of gowns. She had gone through them all twice, still completely indecisive about which one she was actually going to wear.
After a long while, she narrowed it down to three. And then to two. And then, she decided on one. It was a deep scarlet, with little gold accents all over. The lace neckline went straight across her upper body, one line from shoulder to shoulder, with the sleeves coming down three quarters of her arm before flaring out.
She adjusted the ringlets in her soft hair, and tossed it over her shoulder. She then took a small gold necklace, and placed it around her neck. Putting on just a bit of makeup, she concluded that it was as good as it was going to get, and decided she was ready.
The ballroom was beginning to become packed, as the entire kingdom was allowed to come to the ball. On the bottom floor, there was the actual dance floor, along with the thrones for the king and the queen. Above them, there was an open second floor, where people could look down at the dancers below. On both floors, there were hundreds of tables, adorned with candles and expensive china.
Susan walked in, and was awed at how beautiful the room was. She took a seat in a place where the king might see her-right across the room from her. And see her he did.
He was sitting in his throne, Ethine holding his hand…much to his dismay. Trying to keep his mind occupied with other things, he began looking around at his subjects. His eyes drifted from the first level of the room to the second, where a most magnificent sight greeted him.
Susan was standing by a table, untying her cloak. He watched in awe as she slipped the gold piece of cloth off of her, and revealed her beautiful dress. His gaze was transfixed on her as a butler pulled a chair out for her, and took her cloak. She then sat down; taking a small sip of champagne from her glass that was on the table.
Ethine noticed him staring, and decided that she had to do something. Turning to the orchestra, she whispered something in Spanish to them. They all nodded, and began to play a beautiful, sappy sounding, love song.
Susan watched as the queen turned to her king, and then practically dragged him out onto the dance floor. She pulled him close to her, dancing slowly. The high queen was doing okay at watching the dance, until the queen did something totally uncalled for. Making sure that they were facing toward Susan, she pressed her lips onto the king's, trying to make out while dancing.
A sudden surge of jealousy coursed through Susan's veins, so she just grabbed her champagne glass, brought it to her lips, and drowned out the moment.
Eventually, the song ended, followed by applause from the crowd. Susan, still sitting by herself, was now drinking a glass of water, and watching the two royals. They had gone back to their seats, and were now watching their subjects dance. That was, until a man came up alongside the queen, and began to whisper in her ear.
Squinting, Susan could see that the man that had come up was none other than Dominic, Caspian's best friend. Once he was done telling Ethine something, she turned to Caspian, apologized, and walked out. What was going on?
As she continued to watch, she thought she saw Dominic, as he walked out, give the king a thumbs up.
A few moments later, Caspian got up from his chair, and bolted across the floor to the stairs that led up to the second level. He walked through the dimly lit tables, until he came to Susan. He was behind her, and finding that he couldn't resist, lightly grabbed her waist.
She yelped lightly, jumping out of her seat, and turning around to face him.
"You really have a bad habit of doing that, you know," she said with a smile.
"My apologies, your majesty," he said, flirt in full swing. She laughed, and sat back down at the table. He sat in one of the chairs next to her.
"You sure do know how to throw a party, Caspian," she remarked, eyes wandering all around the ball room.
"Thank you, my lady," he grinned, eyes looking only at her.
In the back of his mind, he knew that she had seen the dance between him and Ethine. He needed to make up for that. His mind racked over what he could do, until it reached a marvelous conclusion. Without saying anything, he got up, and ran over to the orchestra. He too requested something in Spanish, to which the entire ensemble agreed happily.
He then ran back over to where Susan was seated, waiting for him. In the background, a sensual and feisty salsa began to play.
"Susan," he whispered excitedly, "dance with me." She looked at him incredulously.
"What?"
"Dance with me!" he smiled at her.
"Oh, no, Caspian, I don't dance. The last time that I danced in public was thousands of years ago! I would make you, the king, look a fool."
"Susan," he said, grabbing her hands, "Do you honestly think I care? I owe you a bit of fun. And I would be honored if you would grant me this one dance." He stood up, still holding her hands, his words melting her inside and out.
"Fine," she caved to his desires, "But if I make you look bad in front of your entire kingdom, you can't blame anybody but yourself," she stood with a grin. He looked at her intently, a fire beginning to dance in his eyes.
He led her down the steps to the first level, and walked her to the dance floor. As they walked on, all of the other couples that were dancing bowed or curtseyed, and got off. It was just the two of them, with all of the eyes in the place on them.
Getting into position, they waited for a break in the song where they could begin their dance. Here goes nothing, she thought to herself.
Suddenly, they were moving. Caspian took the lead, his feet moving gracefully in time with the music. She could feel herself beginning to keep up with his pace well, and eventually didn't need his guidance anymore.
He spun her out to his side, and then back into his arms, his hand on her back pressing her closer to him. They moved all across the floor, their movements elegant and fast. Once or twice, he dipped her low, swinging her around.
Susan could think of nothing else at the moment that the man with whom she was dancing. He had somehow managed to put her under his spell; his warm body pressed so close to her own. The music coursed throughout her body, the guitar's strum, the clap of the bongos, and the somewhat raspy voice of the singer, who was singing in his native Spanish.
The pair also had the crowd transfixed. Some of the elders of the kingdom had left, knowing that nothing but trouble could follow the King and his true flame. Most had stayed, though, simply amazed at the two. The way that they danced showed everything. Caspian was not in love with his queen, for the crowd had also seen their dance, too. No, he danced much differently with the High Queen. He was less stiff, and he danced with much more intensity and passion.
Unspoken feelings became clear as day to all of Caspian's subjects. Emotions that had been silenced all those long years fell out onto the floor, sweet as molasses. Their King Caspian X was in love with the Gentle High Queen of Old. And truthfully, they were all happy for him. Everyone had secretly wanted them together from the start.
The song slowed, and then came to an end, much sooner than either of the dancers wanted it to. The crowd roared with applause, standing to its feet. Looking at Susan, Caspian was amazed with what he saw.
She was glowing. Her face, her eyes, even her hair, radiated with her happiness. Her smile covered the entire lower half of her face, a laugh of sheer joy escaping her perfect lips. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Caspian was thrilled to see her so happy.
It was then, with the noise of the crowd in the background, adrenaline coursing through his veins, and the love of his life before him, he did something that he didn't expect, but he knew that he had wanted.
Bending down slightly, he took two fingers, and lifted the queen's face to his own. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met, both of them smoldering with excitement. And then, with the entire kingdom watching, he gently brushed his lips against hers.
His mind went into chaos. He had wanted this, another chance to kiss his queen's lips, for three, agonizing years now. And he had finally gotten it. But even so, the simple touch wasn't enough. He knew it wouldn't be, and she could see it in his eyes.
Susan was stunned. The fact that he had done that in front of all of his subjects made him two things to her – dumb, and bold. She loved it. With a playful look in her eye, she took his hand, and turned so that they could leave. He smiled.
She had gotten about twenty steps to the door, when she stopped cold. Caspian stopped as well. The room had fallen silent, so that all of Caspian's subjects could hear one word, and one word very clearly.
"CASPIAN."
The couple, still holding hands, turned around slowly. There, standing with arms crossed, and red faced, stood none other than Ethine.
"Ethine," Caspian began, trying to cover for himself and Susan.
"No!" she shrieked, glaring more at Susan than her husband, "I don't want to hear it!"
"How much did you see?" he asked, feeling the anger boil in his veins.
"Enough to conclude what was going on, which I don't like," she seethed, now directing her anger towards Susan, "Queen Susan. I understand that you are a very important guest here in Narnia, as well as a very…close friend to my husband. But I must ask you, how did you not have the sense, nor the propriety, to keep your dirty paws off of my husband? How dare you? You come into my kingdom, and try and take my husband? Unfortunately, that's not how the system is designed to work."
"Leave her out of this, Ethine," Caspian bit back, stepping in front of Susan as if protecting her, "She had nothing to do with it." Ethine was about to shoot back, but it was then that Susan spoke up, coming out from behind Caspian.
"My lady Ethine, forgive me, for the fault is mine," she began, feeling the oncoming of hot tears.
"Susan," Caspian interjected, concern in his voice, "what are you doing? The fault was never yours. You don't have to do this."
"Caspian, I do." She said to him without looking. "Ethine, I am so very sorry for the wrongs that I have committed against you. If you could find it in your heart to forgive me, it would be much appreciated," her voice broke, "But if not, I certainly understand. Thank you."
She then turned on her heel, and walked past Caspian toward the exit. He grabbed her arm, which she shook away. She continued walking, dignity hanging by a thread, till she got about twenty feet from the door. It was then, with all the kingdom's eyes upon her, that she picked up the skirt of her dress, and ran for her life.
From the Author: HEY! So. I must say that I'm pretty proud of myself. I have successfully updated in just a little over a month. :) Yay! Haha. Anyways, here's chapter 11. What did you guys think? (You should tell me by hitting that little button down here that says 'review'. Hehe.) I don't know about you guys, but I progressively dislike Ethine more and more. Much more than I had originally anticipated. Oh dear. :D Alright. That's all that I have for you guys right now-thanks so much for reading! And reviewing, which more of you should do. ;)
-Gabby