A/N: I know I know. It has been sooooo long. But I have my computer back (yayyyy!) and it is once again virus free. I won't bore you all with my pathetic excuses and apologies. I'll get right to the story and hope that you guys are still reading. I appreciate those of you who stuck with me during my long absence! =)
"Good morning everyone," Lucy chirped happily as she entered their private garden. It had been a month since the defeat of the Telmarine dictators and the Narnian rulers had adjusted to the change as best they could. They had come to an unspoken agreement that they would all meet in this place, surrounded by the flowers, for breakfast. It was a time for them to be alone, as a family. Lucy sat herself in the vacant seat next to her sister and reached for a muffin.
"How can you be so cheerful," Edmund asked. His voice muffled by the table that his head was resting on. "It's too early," he moaned.
"Ed, it's nearly half past ten," she said with a chuckle. Edmund groaned in return causing chuckles to erupt from the rest.
"Susan," Aubrey asked from her seat next to Peter, "have all the invitations been sent?"
"Oh!" Lucy squealed in happiness, clapping her hands in excitement. "I can't wait for this ball. I daresay we all need a bit of cheering up." Susan smiled at her little sister.
"None more than Caspian," she said in a small voice, glancing over her shoulder at the door. She had been so worried for him these past few weeks. It had been a month since Alida left them and Caspian was still upset. She didn't disagree with him of course, she would be too if it had been one of her siblings, or Aubrey, or even Caspian, though she would only admit that last one to herself. She felt a warm hand upon her own and looked up into the shinning and confident hazel eyes of her sister.
"He will be fine, Su. You just need to give him some time." Susan marveled at how much her sister had grown in the short two months they had been in Narnia. She felt she was looking into the eyes of a much older girl, no woman that had disappeared a long time ago. She couldn't help but feel saddened at the thought of her little sister growing up. But she had some time before her sister would realize it. Susan smiled at her.
"I know Lu, thanks. If you'll excuse me, I have to talk with some of the maids about the decorations."
She stood up from the table and gracefully walked out the door. Lucy watched her a little enviously, wishing she too could walk like that. She was snapped from her thoughts when Aubrey spoke.
"I do wonder when the two of them will start dating," she asked no one in particular.
"What two?" Peter asked before taking a sip of water from his goblet.
"Caspian and Susan silly," Lucy said with a chuckle. Peter's eyes widened and he spat out the water in his mouth.
"Eugh! Gross Peter," Edmund yelled in outrage. Having been seated across from him, poor Edmund, who had just lifted his head from the table to take a bite of toast, got a face full of water from his brother. Aubrey and Lucy were laughing but immediately bit their tongues when Edmund glared at them. It was best not to cross Edmund this early in the morning. Peter didn't even notice the mess he had made. He was staring open mouthed at Aubrey.
"Close your mouth darling," she said as she placed her finger under his chin and closed it for him. "It's not very attractive," she added, the corners of her mouth tugging up in a smile.
"What do you mean, date?" He asked stupidly. Lucy was snickering from beside Edmund, her mouth hidden behind her hands. Even Edmund cracked a small smile.
"You know, date, court, whatever you want to call it,"
"She's too young."
"She's the same age as I am, a month older to be exact, and we're dating," she said, gesturing between herself and Peter.
"He's too old for her. She should be dating people her own age."
"You're a year older than I am. Is it wrong for us?"
"She's too young."
"Peter," Aubrey said exasperated. She knew how protective of his family he was, but he was being ridiculous. Everyone could see how Susan and Caspian stared at one another. Aubrey was just surprised nothing had happened yet. Though she thought Alida's absence might have something to do with it.
"You need to realize that your sister is growing up and it is only natural that she starts developing feelings for," Peter interrupted her with his lips. She wasn't expecting the kiss but she didn't hasten to deepen it. It was only when Lucy and Edmund started groaning that they pulled apart.
"Do you have to do that so early? I've hardly had time to swallow my breakfast and now it's threatening to come back up." Edmund told them, holding his hand over his stomach dramatically. Aubrey picked up a piece of bread and threw it at the younger boys head.
"Aslan help the woman you fall for Edmund Pevensie," she said teasingly. Edmund, being the mature man he is, stuck his tongue out at her. They continued eating in silence, the only distraction coming in the form of a fawn with a letter for Peter. He read the letter silently then excused himself from the table. He had a meeting to attend with some of the Lords. He kissed Aubrey once more and followed the fawn from the garden.
Aubrey watched him leave and couldn't help the smile that took over her face. Being with Peter made her so happy and secure and she loved the last month they spent together. It had contained some of the best moments of her life.
"Rey," Lucy's twinkling voice interrupted her thoughts, "will you come into town with me? I promised Elsa I would stop by to pick out the pattern for my gown."
"Sure, Lu," she said. She took one last bite of her toast with jam and wiped her hands on the napkin on her lap. Together, she and Lucy stood up from the table, waving goodbye to Edmund.
Edmund watched them leave and sighed contentedly at the silence. He laid his head down on the table and a few minutes later, soft snores could be heard.
Susan walked down one of the many passageways of the castle, sighing as she rounded the corner and found herself in an unfamiliar corridor. She felt frustrated. This castle was nothing like the one back in the Golden Age, the castle of Cair Paravel. She turned around, determined to retrace her steps, but after a few minutes of walking, she realized she was more lost than ever. She cursed aloud, very un-Queen like and stamped her foot. She heard a snicker from behind and turned around with a blush.
"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed, to the young maid standing in front of her.
"Tis no problem, My Lady," the girl said with a warm smile. "Same thing happened to me for the first year in this castle."
"So what you're saying is that I should expect to get lost for another eleven months," she questioned with a smile, but also a little annoyed.
"No milady, everyone is different. My friend Susa figured out the way of the castle in just three weeks," she walked closer, closing the distance between the two of them. "Then again she had some help from the cook's son," she said with a mischievous smile, causing Susan to chuckle.
"Thank you . . ." she stopped short, realizing she didn't know the young girl's name.
"Talitha," the girl said, smile still on her face. Susan couldn't help but instantly like this girl. There was just something about her personality that Susan liked.
"Well, thank you Talitha. I do fear I am a lost cause though. There are so many corridors and secret doorways, I just don't know what to do." She said, blushing once more. It was a silly thing for a Queen to get lost in her own castle, though this castle wasn't really her castle, she thought.
"I can show you where to go," Talitha offered. Susan smiled gratefully at her. She told her she was to meet some of the maids in the west wing to discuss details of the upcoming ball. As she spoke a knowing smile spread across the young maids face.
"I know of the exact meeting, I was on my way there myself. You could follow me if you like." Susan nodded her head eagerly, happy to have a guide. Together, the two girls walked down the hallway, conversing happily. As they walked, Talitha pointed out key passageways so that Susan would have a better idea of where she was going. Susan thanked her over and over again to which Talitha just smiled and waved her hand.
They arrived at the meeting in record time and Susan marveled at Talitha's ability to weave her way around the castle. The meeting took place and they discussed colors and patterns and guests. After an hours time, they agreed to meet again one week later. Feeling accomplished, Susan left the room, Talitha not far behind her.
"Just follow this passage all the way down, My Lady and it will lead straight to your rooms," she said, gesturing down the corridor ahead of them.
"Susan," she said with a smile. Talitha looked at her curiously.
"I'm sorry, milady?" she asked confused.
"My name is Susan," she said with a wink which caused the young maid to giggle. "I do hope you would join me for tea someday?" Talitha nodded and with a wave, followed some of the senior maids down the opposite corridor. Susan turned and made her way towards her rooms, desperate for her bed and a book. She reached the wing with their bedrooms with no trouble, but as she passed the room that belonged to Alida, she noticed the door was slightly open. She gently pushed the door open and was met with a lavender painted room. On the bed across from her, she saw Caspian sitting with his head in his hands. She walked towards him and gently set herself on the edge of the bed next to him. He didn't move or even seem to notice she had joined him.
"Caspian?" she asked hesitantly, placing her hand on his shoulder. He sighed and looked up at her with weary eyes. She felt her heart break at the hopelessness she saw in them.
"Oh, Caspian!" she said and wrapped her arms around him in a comforting embrace. He loosely wrapped his arms around her.
"I miss her." He whispered so quietly that Susan barely heard him.
"Of course you do. She's your cousin." She said, looking once more into his eyes.
"She was more than that, she was my sister."
"What do you mean 'was'? She's not dead Caspian."
"No, but she's lost," his voice cracked with tears.
"She will come back, you have to know that." Susan told him confidently.
"How can you be so sure?" He asked, the hopelessness returning once again.
"We did." She smiled at him. Oh what she would do to see him smile once more, even if that meant leaving Narnia to bring back his cousin. She couldn't help but feel at fault for his pain. It was because of her and her siblings need to stay here that she left.
"It's not your fault." Caspian said, as if he had been reading her mind.
Susan smiled wryly. "How can you be so sure?"
Caspian smiled a little at her joke. Susan felt so happy to have been able to cause it.
"Thank you, Susan." Caspian said, breaking their comfortable silence. He reached out and laced his fingers through her own.
"What for?" she asked, confused.
"For helping," he said with a warm smile, something that had been missing from him for the past month. They stared at one another for some time. Susan didn't know why, but being here with Caspian, just sitting next to him with his hand in her own felt comfortable, it felt right. Their moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. The same fawn from breakfast entered and announced that King Peter required a family meeting. Susan stood and pulled Caspian from the bed.
"Peter said family," he reminded her, a little puzzled by her actions.
"And you're practically family. This includes you. We all rule this kingdom together." Caspian smiled at her and together they walked down the hallway, hands still clasped and fingers still laced. Susan couldn't help but notice how her heart soared at the small amount of contact with him and wondered if he felt the same way.
A/N: And so I am back (finally). I am soooooo sorry. I wish I had a smarter computer, one that knows not to get a virus. But unfortunately I can't train my computer like some can train a dragon. So I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, even though it was long in coming. I promise to have regular updates. My dream is for one every week but if not that it will definitely be out in two weeks. I really hope you guys stuck with this story, I have no plans in abandoning it. Quite the contrary, I have been planning the sequel for some time. But that won't be happening for some time. I still have some plans for this story. ;)
Okay, so I'm done with my rambling. Basically what I am trying to say is 1. thanks for sticking with me (those who did) 2. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and 3. Please please please leave me a review and tell me what you think! Until next time then! =)